Zimbabwe makes it imperative for govt employees to get vaccinated, relaxes lockdown curbs

Zimbabwe has vaccinated 2.7 million people so far, and the country is aiming to vaccinate two-thirds of its 15 million inhabitants by the end of the year. While Zimbabweans would not be forced to get vaccinated, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi believes that employees in the public sector have a responsibility to safeguard the public by acquiring Coronavirus vaccinations. He told private radio station ZiFM Stereo that they are not forcing people to be vaccinated, but "if you are a government employee, get vaccinated for the protection of others and the people you are serving."

He did not recommend that government employees who refuse the vaccine face retaliation from the authorities, but rather that they should quit on their own. More than 200,000 people work for the Zimbabwean government, the majority of whom are teachers. He also told ZiFM Stereo that there will come a point when they won't want any teacher who isn't vaccinated.

COVID lockdown reduced from Level 4 to Level 2

Meanwhile, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa stated on Tuesday that the COVID lockdown would be reduced from Level 4 to Level 2, allowing enterprises to operate from 8 am to 7 pm local time, according to Xinhua. Intercity travel had been prohibited since Level 4 was enforced in June 2021, and businesses could only operate between 8 am and 3:30pm, while the country battled a surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths.

A curfew that had been in effect from 6:30 pm to 6 am has now been shortened to 10 pm to 5 am. Mnangagwa stated that public meetings of up to 100 individuals will henceforth be permitted, but only if the World Health Organization's rules for social distancing, sanitising, and masking are followed. Previously, gatherings were only permitted at funerals and were limited to 30 people, according to Xinhua. The government has agreed to keep office decongestion at 50 per cent of normal capacity. Prez Mnangagwa said that the new measures would be reviewed in two weeks after citizens were urged to get vaccinated to avert more diseases and fatalities.

4,000 COVID deaths in Zimbabwe so far

COVID in Zimbabwe is declining, with an average of 159 new cases reported per day. That's only 7% of the peak, which occurred on July 15, when the greatest daily average was recorded. Since the outbreak began, the country has seen around 1,25,000 infections and approximately 4,000 coronavirus-related deaths.

Image- AP