President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday extended the coronavirus lockdown by another two weeks. Below is the President’s statement in full:
Fellow Zimbabweans, I wish to update you on the current state of the National Covid-19 pandemic as we revisit the lockdown that we introduced at the beginning of the year and hence map a way forward.
Since the implementation of the current lockdown which ends midnight today, we have witnessed a marked decrease in the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths.
I thank you all, most sincerely, for observing the fundamental lockdown measures.
As I address you, our Nation this morning received its first consignment of vaccines from the People’s Republic of China. Let me again thank the Chinese Government for this gesture of great humanity.
We will forever remain grateful to the Chinese Government and People for standing with us. I am also happy that the Second consignment of vaccines procured from the People’s Republic of China will be received in a few weeks’ time.
As already indicated, vaccines from other countries namely Russia, India and the United Kingdom, are also on the way.
That should see our pace of vaccinating willing Zimbabweans increase in tempo thus drawing us nearer the goal of achieving herd immunity.
The ultimate goal is a return to our normal lives so our children can go back to school, and that we all resume our collective effort towards recovery and growing our Economy for the realisation of Vision 2030.
Therefore the vaccine roll-out programme will be announced by the Minister of Health and Child Care.
Fellow Zimbabweans,
The following are the current measures:
- staying at home thereby limiting community transmission,
- the correct wearing of face masks, and the use of sanitisers,
- keeping physical distancing in all places and in public transport such as on ZUPCO buses,
- decongesting government offices to 10%, as was being strictly observed,
- restriction on informal sector activities which pose a challenge on social distancing,
- enforcement of the curfew, closure of bars, beer halls and restaurants.
While the National lockdown goals are now within sight, the numbers of active cases and deaths however are still very high.
These need to come down further. Every life lost is a big loss to us I, therefore, extend the National Lockdown by a further two weeks.
The extension will allow the number of active cases and those still in incubation to recede.
This extension should cause a great reduction in the pool of infected people, enable Health Personnel to investigate and, monitor the presence and circulation of new variants.
Fellow Zimbabweans,
The new measures will operate as follows:
- Hours of business will be 0800 HRS to 1700 HRS
- Curfew is from 2000 HRS to 0530 HRS,
- No inter-city and inter-provincial commuting,
- Funeral gatherings to remain pegged at 30 people, with all social gatherings remaining banned,
- All burials are to be handled according to WHO regulations,
- Essential services to remain functional,
- Government manning levels to increase from 10% to 25%
- The Ministry of Health and Child Care will increase testing. All private companies seeking resumption of operations should test their employees in compliance with WHO protocols,
- Judiciary will open for only urgent cases to be heard. No one is allowed in the gallery. All who attend court will be tested,
- Schools will remain closed for the duration of the extension,
- Our markets shall remain open but observing social distancing and
- Those in the informal sector may only open once they have satisfied WHO protocols.
Let me take this opportunity to remind you to remain vigilant, focused and to continue to adhere to all the lockdown measures.
The health of our nation depends on us all
I thank you