2020.<sup>10,11</sup> In response to the outbreak, the Gambian government enacted several measures, including border closure on March 23, 2020<sup>12</sup> , a State of Public Emergency, closure of schools and universities, places of worship and non-essential businesses, restricting public gatherings to not more than 10 people, and limiting passengers on public transportation.<sup>13</sup> Bah et al. (2021) report that lockdown policies were more stringent around the capital city of Banjul, and employment rates declined more there during the pandemic than it did in more rural areas such as the communities in our sample.

Our fieldwork began on September 23, and ended on October 20, 2020. At the beginning of the survey, the country registered 3,555 confirmed cases, 110 total deaths, 2,034 recoveries and 1,521 active COVID-19 cases.<sup>14</sup> Committing to recommended guidelines of wearing masks, providing hand sanitizers to all fieldworkers, ensuring social distancing and interviewing in outdoor spaces, we were granted clearance from the Ministry of Health to conduct the face-to-face survey. During the fieldwork, schools and local weekly markets _(lumos_<sup>_15_</sup> _)_ were closed but places of worship were opened, and business restrictions were also lifted by October 6, 2020.

Our data suggests that almost 90 percent know the government recommended guidelines (washing hands, wearing masks and social distancing) of preventing the spread of COVID-19. However, in reality these measures were not practiced in the visited settlements. Shaking hands, social gatherings (naming or wedding ceremonies), and other social interactions were visibly practiced. While everyone knows or has heard about COVID-19, some respondents believe that the virus does not exist in rural places (our study setting), but lamented about the direct impact of some of the restrictions imposed by the government. These include closing of places of worship, closure of weekly markets and schools, and prohibiting two people riding on the same motorcycle.

> 10 - The Chronicle (2020). “The Gambia Confirms First Case of Covid-19”. <u>https://www.chronicle.gm/gambia confirms-first-case-of-coronavirus/</u> [accessed 25 January, 2021].

> 11 The Standard (2020). Gambia Registers First COVID-19 Death”. <u>https://standard.gm/gambia-registers-first-covid19-death/</u> [accessed 25 January, 2021].

> 12 The Chronicle (2020). “Gambia Finally closes Land Borders and Flight as COVID-19 Fear Intensifies”. <u>https://www.chronicle.gm/gambia-finally-closes-land-borders-and-fights-as-covid-19-fear-intensifies/</u> [accessed 25 January, 2021].

> 13 The Chronicle (2020). “The Gambia Declares State of Emergency to Curb Coronavirus”. <u>https://www.chronicle.gm/gambia-declares-state-of-emergency-to-curb-coronavirus/</u> [accessed 25 January, 2021].

> 14 - Ministry of Health (2020). “The Gambia Covid-19 Outbreak Situational Report. <u>http://www.moh.gov.gm/wp content/uploads/2020/09/Gambia_The_COVID-19_Sitrep-23rd-Sept-2020.pdf</u> [accessed 25 January, 2021].

> 15 These are weekly markets that are organized in one settlement and people from neighboring settlements participate in the buying and selling of goods.

10