At least 13 prisoners at Chinhoyi Prison have tested positive to Covid-19, but have since been quarantined, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) health services director Senior Assistant Commissioner Evidence Gaka said yesterday after receiving his second jab in Harare.
Recommending that all prisoners and prison staff take up
the vaccinations as the national vaccination programme is rolled out to prisons
very soon, Snr Asst Comm Gaka said ZPCS was worried about a surge in new cases
in prisons, saying there was need to decongest prisons to make it easier to
isolate those who were sick.
“I strongly recommend members of the ZPCS and inmates to
consider taking up the vaccine because new infections are still witnessed in
our prisons,” he said. “We are having 13 inmates from Chinhoyi Prison who have
tested positive since last week.
“We are urging everyone to take a caution and follow the
prescribed WHO guidelines. We, in the same vein encourage everyone to be
vaccinated. Nobody is being spared by this pandemic, so no one is safe.
Vaccination is the way to go.”
ZPCS will soon roll out a vaccination programme to inmates
at all prisons in the country. Snr Asst
Comm Gaka called on citizens to guard against misinformation on vaccination
programme.
“There is a lot of information that is circulating on
social media that carries negative aspects on the vaccine of Covid-19,” he
said.
“People should not rely on that information because this
vaccine is safe and l urge everyone to get vaccinated and ignore falsehoods
that are circulating.” More than 70 000
people have now received their first dose with daily totals rising.
Among those who also received their second dose of vaccine
yesterday in the “justice group” were Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Mrs Virginia Mabhiza, Commissioner
General Moses Chihobvu and deputy commissioner generals Shepherd Mpofu,
Manetswa Christina Manhivi, Social Ndanga and Dr Granisia Musango. Herald
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