GOVERNMENT yesterday gazetted Statutory Instrument 99 of
2020 to give clarity to the Level 2 national lockdown announced by President
Mnangagwa on Friday.
The measures show a balancing act that allows reopening of
some formal businesses coupled with extra caution and enhanced testing to
prevent the spread of Covid-19. The new law prescribes hefty penalties of up to
$36 000 or a year in jail for those who fail to comply.
SI 99 says: “Any person who fails to comply with an order
of an enforcement officer given under this section, or who hinders or obstructs
an enforcement officer from having the access referred to in subsection (6),
shall be guilty of an offence and liable to fine not exceeding level twelve or
to imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year or to both such fine and
such imprisonment.”
SI 99 of 2020 prescribes that every individual must wear a
mask “whether improvised or manufactured” when leaving home.
The new regulations also give clarity to businesses that
are expected to open during Level 2 of the national lockdown.
“ . . . business in the formal commercial and industrial
sector means any business, industry, trade or occupation . . . in goods or
services for the generation of income or the making of profits, the
formalisation of which is evidenced in any one or more of the following ways —
(a) the holding of a shop or other licence from a local authority enabling it
to operate the business in question from a specified premises; or (b) being the
lessee of premises governed by the Commercial Premises (Lease Control) Act
[Chapter 14:04]; or (c) being a registered operator for the purposes of the
Value Added Tax Act;
“ . . . or (d) being a registered as an employer for the
purpose of paying employees’ tax under the Income Tax Public Health (Covid-19
Prevention, Containment and Treatment) (National Lockdown) (Amendment) Order,
2020 (No. 5) 554 Act, or otherwise making a regular return of income for the
purposes of that Act; (e) being a party to a collective bargaining agreement
negotiated through an Employment Council governing the business in question.”
In relation to transport services the new law states that
“every vehicle used by the transport service must be disinfected against
Covid-19 by or at the direction of an enforcement officer at least twice
daily.”
It also stipulates that every individual must be
temperature-tested and have his or her hands sanitised before being allowed to
board buses while further reinforcing the decree that any public gathering
should not exceed 50 people.
The S1 also prescribes that workers who are going to
benefit from the relaxed lockdown must undergo rapid or PCR testing “before
resuming work for the first time during the national lockdown, every person . .
. must at the direction of an enforcement officer submit to screening and
testing for the Covid-19 disease, whether by use of the rapid results
diagnostic test or other test approved by the Minister of Health. (3) Employers
of the persons referred to in subsection (1) must arrange with enforcement
officers for the testing contemplated by subsection (2) to take place at an
agreed time at the workplace or at any other place agreed between them, for
which purpose they may contact the Ministry of Health Call Centre or the
Ministry of Information Call Centre.”
SI 99 says all business are also expected to operate from
8am to 3pm “except for good cause” that can be proved to law enforcement
agents.
Speaking to journalists in Harare yesterday, Health and
Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said a massive testing programme will be
rolled out around the country soon, including both rapid testing and the more
comprehensive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests.
“Rapid testing will allow us to carry out a surveillance
screening, which will enable us to have a general picture of the country’s
Covid-19 status while we continue with the PCR diagnostic testing in order to
establish the definitive Covid-19 status of the country.”
Dr Moyo said the programme will see mandatory PCR tests
being undertaken on “all admitted patients, all health care workers, security
service employees as well as all clients testing positive following rapid
screening”.
He said under the enhanced testing programmes, selected
public and private health centres will conduct PCR and rapid testing, while
outreach teams will be deployed to various parts of the country.
“Designated Government, mission hospitals and local
authority institutions that conduct routine screening, and medical examinations
for workers will now conduct Covid-19 rapid testing.
“The ministry will expedite testing both at designated
facilities and their respective workplaces.”
Dr Moyo implored companies that have been granted the green
light to open to enforce preventive measures and to ensure that all staff are
tested.
Explaining further the new lockdown measures in an
interview with The Sunday Mail yesterday, Secretary for Information, Publicity
and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana said: “People have to understand
that the virus is still with us. Nothing has happened to the virus. We need to
continue taking caution and understand that the lockdown is still in force.
“However, the directive means that some businesses have to
open but people have to be tested first. If they are found to be positive they
will be quarantined, if they are not they will be allowed to work.”
On which businesses will be allowed to open, Mr Mangwana
said: “For example, I asked the President specifically about the salons, he
said yes, they can operate but only if they are complying with all these
requirements such as social distancing, testing, wearing masks and sanitisers.
“The hairdresser who is at work should have a mask. The
client who wants to have his or her hair done should also have the mask.
“So the message from the President is that if anyone wants
to start operating, they have to put safety measures first. On tuckshops, it
depends whether they are formal or informal. The President in his statement was
clear on which informal sectors will be allowed to open.”
Mr Mangwana said exemption letters remain an administrative
issue and police have the discretion to demand them.
In his statement on Friday, President Mnangagwa encouraged
vulnerable groups to approach the Department of Social Welfare to register for
assistance.
The President said only public buses will be the mode of
public transport while kombis and smaller taxis are still not permitted to
operate.
Churches, gyms, bottle stores, bars, beer halls, leisure
and recreational facilities remain closed, said the President.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries president Mr Henry Ruzvidzo
yesterday said partial lifting of the lockdown was welcome but a lot will need
to be in place to avoid altering the curve negatively.
“The requirement to test all employees will help the
situation but facilities will need to be put in place quickly for the
widespread testing. Businesses have to play their part to ensure worker safety.
“The stimulus package announced by Government can be a
game-changer if applied wisely. The biggest risk is on currency if the funds
are not directed largely at production.
“We are not privy to the modalities on sources of the funds
and the disbursement models, which we hope will be announced shortly. The
absence of external assistance for the country requires that we find the best
models and application of the limited resources at our disposal.
“Involvement of all stakeholders in the heavy lifting that
is demanded by our situation will be critical. The operational modalities for
businesses are hopefully being finalised over the weekend so that disruptions
are minimised when businesses resume on Monday.”
Meanwhile, Dr Moyo yesterday explained the anomaly
regarding the six cases that had initially tested positive before a retest
provided negative results last week.
“Yes, the six cases initially came out positive but then
tested negative. As part of quality assurance, we needed to have a retest
because that was a sudden jump because previously we would have one or two
positive cases.
“So it was a retest to ensure that all the high numbers
were correct. Because of this quality assurance, people should not worry too
much about our accuracy. I can assure the public that the quality of our
results remains credible, if it had problems, these retests would not have
given us accurate results,” he said, adding that the testing process was “a
complex procedure”. Sunday Mail
0 comments:
Post a Comment