CHURCHES have been given the greenlight to reopen for sit-in services but only to fully vaccinated congregants, government announced last night.
Addressing a post-Cabinet media briefing, Information
minister Monica Mutsvangwa said church leaders who violate the regulations
would be arrested and that the government would deploy health officials to
screen the congregants.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday extended level four
lockdown restrictions by two more weeks.
Mutsvangwa said there was a 42% decrease in the number of
new infections and deaths in the past week which proved that the current
preventive measures were effective.
“Cabinet wishes to inform the public that churches can now
allow sit-in congregants, but only congregants who have received two doses of
the vaccine are allowed to attend,” Mutsvangwa said.
“All Ministry of Health and Child Care and World Health
Organisation protocols are adhered to. All those found in breach will be
arrested, including the leaders of the churches. Vaccination in border towns,
other hotspots and peoples’ markets is progressing as scheduled. Two million
syringes were procured from Sinopharm of China and received on August 7, 2021.”
She said Midlands province was experiencing another surge
of new cases and the government would put in place measures to contain the
virus in the area and other hotspots.
Government is targeting to vaccinate 10 million people,
which is 60% of the population, to achieve herd immunity by October this year,
although health experts say the emergence of new variants such as the Delta
strain had rendered herd immunity irrelevant.
According to statistics released by the Health ministry as
of Tuesday, 912 592 people had received their first dose against 1 061 238 who
had been fully vaccinated.
Delta Beverages and several other companies have threatened
to bar unvaccinated workers from reporting for work.
Cabinet’s decision to reopen the churches to vaccinated
congregants comes at a time when thousands of Zimbabweans due for their second
dose are reportedly being turned away from nearby vaccination centres and
referred to the centres they got their first doses from.
This has triggered fears the country may fail to reach the
vaccination target.
Some members of the public, who spoke to NewsDay after having been turned away at local
clinics in Harare, said they could not afford to travel to the vaccination
centres where they got their first jabs, thereby depriving them of the
opportunity to be fully vaccinated within the stipulated period.
Some said they had permanently relocated from areas where
they got their first jabs and had no access to the vaccination centres where
they were initially inoculated. They also cited COVID-19 restrictions that
prohibit intercity travel.
Others said the
vaccines from which they got their first doses were not available at
their vaccination centres which resulted in delays.
“I got my first jab in Goromonzi where I had visited a
relative and I cannot afford to go back to get my second one,” Mavis Murisa
said. “It may mean that I may not be able to get fully vaccinated. I have been
to three different health institutions here in Harare, but I have been told
that I should go back to the vaccination centre in Goromonzi where I got my
first shot.”
The vaccination programme is underway with doses of the
Sinovac, Sinopharm, Covaxin and Sputnik V vaccines, which all require
individuals to get two shots for effective immunity.
Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai
Rusike said people in marginalised communities were facing challenges to
acquire their second doses due to logistical challenges.
“The vaccines being currently administered in Zimbabwe
require two doses and this has been causing logistical challenges for people in
rural areas and marginalised communities, with some people failing to take up
their second jab, thereby increasing the likelihood of incomplete vaccination,”
Rusike said.
“We are still struggling at 6% since the national
vaccination roll-out programme started in February when the target to reach the
required herd immunity is 60%.”
Health deputy minister John Mangwiro said he was in a
meeting when he was contacted for comment, but last week, then Health acting
minister Amon Murwira said there was no harm if people delayed getting the
second dose.
He said the delay could actually work in their favour,
making sure the second dose will be more effective in the body. He was speaking
in Parliament.
However, Mpilo Central Hospital acting chief executive
Solwayo Ngwenya urged people to ensure that they get their second doses when
they are due to enhance their effectiveness.
“People must not default to getting their second doses. Second doses help boost the antibodies to
secure an immunity that can fight the virus,” Ngwenya said.
“Antibodies from a single dose alone will be too low to
fight coronavirus, hence such individuals (with single doses) would not be
completely protected against the virus.”
Meanwhile, Mutsvangwa also said assessment for the safe
reopening of schools was in progress.“Assessments on the state of preparedness
for the safe reopening of schools is ongoing across all provinces,” she said.
“The Primary and Secondary Education ministry has redoubled
efforts towards the targeted provision of tents, additional furniture, reliable
water sources, ablution facilities, and the decongestion of teacher
accommodation. Testing for COVID-19 is
also being escalated in communities.” Newsday
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