MDC Alliance official David Coltart says the 21-day lockdown set to elapse on 19 April should not be lifted but has to be extended to the 5th of May when schools re-open.
Coltart urged the government, international community and the private sector to use the extension to work hard and implement a number of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Some of the measures suggested by Coltart include testing of front line medical staff and those still working in public, provision of face masks for the unemployed, compelling businesses to enforce social distancing, all businesses to be compelled to use hand sanitizer, provision of free food to the poor, educating the police and army to enforce the lockdown humanely, among others. Said Coltart:
It would be wrong to simply end the lockdown on Sunday. With infections rising in the country it will send a wrong and dangerous message to many Zimbabweans who are already not practising safe social distancing and personal hygiene methods, namely that the danger is past.
The current lockdown should be extended to the beginning of the next school term – Tuesday the 5th May – and during that extension government, the international community and the private sector must work vigorously on the following measures.