This brief reports on attitudes and practices relating to physical distancing measures in Eastern and Southern Africain the context of the current global COVID-19 outbreak. Where relevant, it also includes insight and learning from the Ebola outbreaks in West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It sets outpractical considerations for the formulation of communication strategies and messaging on the subject of physical distancing related to COVID-19, taking into account the numerous challenges regarding implementation and mitigation of harmful effects that exist in the region, and cognisant that distancing may, in some settings, have adverse effects and contribute directly and indirectly to COVID-19 related deaths.

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