This puts Government in a firm position to procure the 10
million vaccines required to attain herd immunity before year-end. Authorities
are also planning to make vaccination compulsory for certain groups of people.
Distribution of the latest consignment will be carried out
systematically, with hotspots such as border towns, areas that are currently
under intensified lockdowns, prisons, and busy markets like Mbare Musika, being
prioritised.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli
Ncube and Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro led a
delegation that received the inoculations at Robert Mugabe International
Airport in Harare.
Addressing journalists at a Press briefing soon after
receiving the vaccines, Prof Ncube said the doses would help to save lives and
re-open the economy.
“In terms of our vaccination programme, this is yet another
addition to the roadmap for the acquisition of vaccines.
We have received 500 000 today, by end of next week we will
receive another two million, two weeks after that we want to bring another 1,5
million. We want to carry on so that by end of August we bring in another 3,5
million vaccines again from China,” he said.
“We are very organised, we are very focused and we are very
diligent in terms of implementing our vaccination programme because saving
lives is very important. But it’s not just about saving lives, it’s about
economic recovery because when people are vaccinated its easier for companies
to operate, it’s easier to do business and carrying on with business is what
will revive the economy.”
Dr Mangwiro said people will soon be required to produce
vaccination certificates for them to operate their businesses or go to work.
“Their (vaccines) arrival really excites us as you can see
the Covid-19 disease is back via the third wave,” he said.
“As Government we are going to target border towns such as
Beitbridge, Plumtree, Chirundu, Kariba, Nyamapanda and Forbes Border Post
(Mutare) so that we make sure that if things continue getting worse at least
our border areas are protected because you will find out that most of the
infections are coming via our borders.
“We are also going to target areas that are very risky and
that the disease can easily come through which are tobacco auction floors, GMB
markets, Cotton Sales Floors and even the Musikas, Mbare Musika, Renkini,
Machipisa, Sakubva and all such markets.”
Dr Mangwiro said Government is considering making
vaccination mandatory for those working in crowded places to curb the spread of
the virus.
“We are going to say if you really want to be selling at
your market place or to be where you are, you need to be vaccinated. We
definitely need to see that you have your (vaccination) certificate,” he said.
“We do not want any Zimbabweans to be a risk to another
Zimbabwean, we need to protect each other. Every Zimbabwean has a right to life
and we don’t want you to be part of the risk so we encourage everyone to be
vaccinated.
“Also, we are not going to target these areas only, we are
also going to make sure that prisoners are vaccinated. Those who work in the
prison areas are also going to be vaccinated. “Any area of concentration of
people we will definitely make sure that people are vaccinated.”
In an interview with our Harare Bureau Chief Co-ordinator
in the National Response to Covid-19 in the Office of the President and
Cabinet, Dr Agnes Mahomva, said Government has addressed logistical glitches
which were causing artificial shortages of vaccines.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care is distributing
vaccines to every corner of the country so there is no shortage there,” she
said.
“But there are some places like Harare, for example, which
are pushing their allocation at a much faster rate than other areas. What we
are doing now is redistribution to say those who are pushing their vaccines at
a slower pace we will take some from them and give to those who have exhausted
their allocations.
“So yes there may be some logistical glitches there but
like I said redistribution is one way of dealing with it. We are also
prioritising those who are coming for the second doses as we are saying no one
should fail to get their full immunisation.”
Meanwhile, Captains of Industry said there was need for a
delicate balance between economy and fighting the pandemic.
In an interview, Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce
(ZNCC) Matabeleland regional chairman Mr Lewis Herbst said a national lockdown
would affect businesses.
“What the Government is doing right now with zones in
lockdowns is actually the best thing because shutting down businesses
completely because of hotspots I do not think it’s advisable at all. The economy
is trying to recover and to shut down the economy again and have a national
lockdown will have a detrimental effect,” said Mr Herbst.
He said was worrying was that some businesses were becoming
complacency when they needed to take the Covid-19 pandemic seriously.
Mr Herbst however, commended the number of people going for
vaccination saying there was a tremendous increase that showed that a certain
degree of people were now starting to take it seriously.
He said businesses had to control their customers and follow
the protocols and procedure.
“Businesses have to take it seriously and control their
customers, at the same time following proper protocol and procedures of
sanitising and social distance. There are a number of companies and businesses
that have become irresponsible.
“Some banks have long queues outside their premises, while
they are only concerned with what is happening inside,” he said.
Mr Herbst said they should consider what will be happening
outside on the pavements and have security in place to maintain social
distance.
He said it was everyone’s mandate to complement Government
which was doing an excellent job to control and contain the spread of the virus
In a statement, Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ)
president Mr Wengayi Nhau said it must be clearly understood that a national
lockdown had consequences that were “massively destructive” to the travel and
tourism industry.
He said there was an unprecedented decimation of
livelihoods and incomes for families and communities experienced in the wake of
full lockdown measures.
“The travel and tourism sector is starting to recover from
the effects of this and it is hoped to regain a momentum to rebuild the sector,
most especially to re-employ the thousands of people who have lost jobs and
bring a measure of relief to the tens of thousands of people in families and
communities affected by these job losses and business closures,” Mr Nhau said.
However, CZR president Mr Denford Mutashu said he still
feels there is a need for total lockdown.
“There is greater need to prevent rapid spread of the
Covid-19 pandemic’s third wave as much as we can. We have alternatives as
businesses to implement Government laid down protocols fully and eliminate
complacency that has crippled in. It is the responsibility of business and the
citizens to guard against complacency and avoid a national lockdown,” said Mr
Mutashu. Sunday News
0 comments:
Post a Comment