Travelling is no longer just an expensive and laborious process. In the time of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it is near impossible. Even countries such as Ethiopia, grateful to receive tourists in normal times, have all but closed their borders, putting in place measures that would discourage even the most daring of adventurers.

The reason for this is the 14-day mandatory quarantine of all travellers entering Ethiopia. It was a provision put in place by the government as the number of reported COVID-19 cases gradually increased. Individuals willing to cough up tens of thousands of Birr can stay in one of the 23 designated hotels. Those who are unable to afford a hotel will be taken to the compounds recently prepared by the government for the purpose of mass quarantine. One of these is the Bole Preparatory School. On the first day, the school started serving as a quarantine centre, travellers were packed in buses and forced to sleep as a group of six in the classrooms in the compound. Almost three weeks in, each room houses at least three people.

The other quarantine centre is in Addis Abeba Science & Technology University (AASTU) compound, where approximately 3,000 deportees from Saudi Arabia are being kept.

One room is allotted to each person and there is also an ongoing effort to distribute soap wastebaskets and face masks for both returnees and staff. Nonetheless, they are sharing showers and toilets. There is also an imminent medical crisis as many of the returnees at the university compound have been subjected to malnutrition, dehydration and physical abuse, since some of them are victims of human trafficking.