COMMENT: Byo’s Covid-19 cases a very worrying development

REPORTS that a Bulawayo laboratory is issuing fake 48-hour Covid-19 certificates are very disturbing given the upsurge in Covid-19 cases countrywide during the past few weeks.

There is, therefore, urgent need to conduct thorough investigations and expose such unscrupulous laboratories gambling with people’s lives. Bulawayo has of late been leading in new Covid-19 cases and is again leading in active cases which is a very worrying development.

What this means is that Bulawayo residents are at risk of being wiped out by this pandemic whose second wave is already causing havoc in Europe and America.

The laboratory which is issuing out fake certificates could be partly to blame for the increase in community infections in Bulawayo and we therefore, implore the Government to move with speed to identify and close this lab.

Most laboratories are charging around $60 for the certificates which in our view is too high. Many people are, therefore, opting for the fake certificates going for $20 despite putting their own lives and that of others at risk.

In SA genuine certificates cost about R300 which is about $20 and there is therefore, no justification for local laboratories to charge as high as US$60 for the same service. This is an area that Government needs to urgently address to stop people from cheating themselves by buying fake certificates. The country opened its land borders to private passenger vehicles and pedestrians on December 1.

The borders were closed in March as part of the lockdown restriction measures meant to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The country’s five major border posts that have been opened are Beitbridge, Plumtree, Chirundu, Victoria Falls and Forbes.

Government has come up with new Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) meant to guide workers on how to handle travellers at the border posts but there are unconfirmed reports that returnees from South Africa and Botswana who have no Covid-19 certificates are bribing border officials.

The country is already witnessing an increase in returnees as people working in the neighbouring countries are coming home for the festive holidays.

The locals are therefore, at high risk of being exposed to the pandemic given that SA is one of the worst affected countries in the region.

Zimbabwe is already grappling with a spike in Covid-19 cases at schools and the situation is likely to be worse unless measures are put in place to ensure no returnee bribes his or her way into the country.

Border officials should strictly enforce the health protocols that include thorough screening of travellers for Covid-19. Government should ensure a very efficient system has been put in place to protect the people as we receive hundreds of Zimbabweans working in neighbouring countries this festive season.

We cannot afford to relax as a nation because the pandemic is still with us and is claiming lives daily.

The world is witnessing a second wave of the pandemic which has forced many European countries to re-introduce lockdown measures to control the spread of the pandemic.