This archive report was first published on 30 June 2020.
On June 30, 2020, the European Union announced a list of 14 non-member countries whose citizens would be allowed into the bloc when its external borders reopened on July 1.
Kenya, along with several other countries, was not included in the list. The African countries that made it to the final 'safe list' were Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Rwanda.
Other countries on the list included Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, New Zealand, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, and Uruguay. Chinese nationals would also be allowed into the EU if their government offered a reciprocal travel deal for EU citizens.
The 'safe list' would be reviewed every two weeks and adjusted accordingly based on the latest coronavirus statistics in each country.
Kenya had recorded 6,366 confirmed Covid-19 cases as of June 30, 2020, from 169,836 samples tested since the first positive case was reported on March 13.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had announced on March 22 that all international flights would be suspended indefinitely to eliminate imported cases of the virus.
However, President Uhuru Kenyatta hinted at plans to lift the lockdown that had restricted movement into and out of Nairobi and Mombasa counties on June 26, 2020.
President Uhuru had imposed a ban on movement in and out of four main coronavirus 'infected areas', including the capital, Nairobi.
