COVID-19: President Mnangagwa Announces New Lockdown Measures

HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced new lockdown measures to tackle the recent spike in coronavirus cases in the South African nation.

President Mnangagwa’s latest tough measures effectively put the country in a prolonged level four lockdown.

“Dear Zimbabweans. Following a recent spike in Covid-19 cases and the localized lockdown measures implemented in places like Kwekwe, Karoi, Kariba and Chinhoyi, we are now stepping up our efforts by introducing the following enhanced Level 4 supplemental lockdown.

1. Level 4 enhanced lockdown measures effective immediately for a period of two weeks and reviewed thereafter;
   
2. Commerce and industry should be open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a general curfew from 6:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.;
   
3. The industry relieves jobs to 40% of the workforce, with the rest of the workers working from home. All businesses are required to comply with all World Health Organization Covid-19 workplace protocols;
4. Commercial transport must remain operational to allow the economy to continue but everyone must comply with Covid-19 protocols;
   
5. Intercity travel is prohibited, except for the manufacture and distribution of foodstuffs and medicines:
6. Travelers from countries with Alpha and Delta Covid-19 variants will be quarantined and tested at their own expense on Days 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10:
   
7. Persons returned to Zimbabwe will be subject to self-quarantine or quarantine in designated places;
8. Travelers with false Covid-19 documents will be subject to imprisonment;
   
9. A vaccination campaign against Covid-19 will be introduced in border towns, tobacco auction houses, grain marketing depots, cotton marketing depots, major construction sites, folk markets such as Renkini and Mbare and all hotspots;
   
10. Ministers and deputies will be sent to their constituencies to disseminate information, particularly on the vaccination programme.

“As we continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, I urge the entire nation to continue to adhere to WHO protocols and embrace the free vaccination program put in place by the government to protect the all of our people,” said President Mnangagwa.