News / Local
Zimbabwe govt mulls tightening lockdown
16 Nov 2020 at 07:11hrs | Views
AUTHORITIES could be forced to re-introduce a tough national lockdown to prevent a second wave of the lethal coronavirus in the country.
This comes as health experts - alarmed by the rising numbers of new coronavirus infections in the country - have implored authorities to do more to prevent a second wave of the deadly disease among the populace.
The authorities have already expressed grave concerns over the drop in discipline among Zimbabweans when it comes to the wearing of face masks in public and the equally critical maintenance of physical distancing.
Yesterday, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa told the Daily News that the national Covid-19 taskforce, responsible for monitoring the situation and managing the response to the pandemic and identifying gaps for corrective action, was meeting today to consider if it is prudent to reintroduce a stringent lockdown.
"The taskforce is monitoring the situation on the ground regarding the complacency and it will debate the issue (of lockdown) on Monday when we meet," Mutsvangwa said.
Deputy Health minister John Mangwiro also weighed in, expressing fears that the country could be plunged into another crisis if citizens continued to breach World Health Organisation (WHO) regulations.
"As a nation we must know that this disease must be taken seriously. Those who must stay at home must do so.
"Let us make sure that we do not move around unnecessarily because the second wave of Covid-19 is proving to be much more aggressive than the first going by what we are seeing in other countries," Mangwiro told the Daily News.
"The Covid-19 taskforce will consider the issue of another lockdown when it meets. "It is sad that many of us no longer put on masks, we now shake hands willy-nilly and social distancing is not being practised. That is very dangerous.
"The president (Emmerson Mnangagwa) has always emphasised the fact that we need to take seriously what we are told by experts regarding the Covid-19 regulations," Mangwiro added.
This comes as health experts - alarmed by the rising numbers of new coronavirus infections in the country - have implored authorities to do more to prevent a second wave of the deadly disease among the populace.
The authorities have already expressed grave concerns over the drop in discipline among Zimbabweans when it comes to the wearing of face masks in public and the equally critical maintenance of physical distancing.
Yesterday, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa told the Daily News that the national Covid-19 taskforce, responsible for monitoring the situation and managing the response to the pandemic and identifying gaps for corrective action, was meeting today to consider if it is prudent to reintroduce a stringent lockdown.
"The taskforce is monitoring the situation on the ground regarding the complacency and it will debate the issue (of lockdown) on Monday when we meet," Mutsvangwa said.
Deputy Health minister John Mangwiro also weighed in, expressing fears that the country could be plunged into another crisis if citizens continued to breach World Health Organisation (WHO) regulations.
"As a nation we must know that this disease must be taken seriously. Those who must stay at home must do so.
"Let us make sure that we do not move around unnecessarily because the second wave of Covid-19 is proving to be much more aggressive than the first going by what we are seeing in other countries," Mangwiro told the Daily News.
"The Covid-19 taskforce will consider the issue of another lockdown when it meets. "It is sad that many of us no longer put on masks, we now shake hands willy-nilly and social distancing is not being practised. That is very dangerous.
"The president (Emmerson Mnangagwa) has always emphasised the fact that we need to take seriously what we are told by experts regarding the Covid-19 regulations," Mangwiro added.
Source - dailynews
