Chronicle Editor
FOR many, the moment was painfully long in coming, but the good thing is it has finally come.
Covid-19 has had a sobering impact on the world. It has hit economies hard, sickened and killed millions. Zimbabwe has not escaped.
However, with the national vaccination campaign against the infection gathering momentum and infection rates dropping since July, the Government has been reopening the country more rapidly. Schools reopened, business hours extended, intercity travel resumed, hotels and lodges reopened and the curfew was shortened.
The relaxation of the measures is good but for a significant number of citizens, the moment they were really waiting for only came on Tuesday.
“In view of sprouting illegal drinking outlets, Cabinet directed that all licensed bars be opened to fully vaccinated clients,” Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said on Tuesday.
“Bar owners are also required to ensure that the World Health Organisation and national protocols and guidelines are enforced, failure of which their licences will be withdrawn. The bars are also required to adhere to curfew hours.”
We don’t take Cabinet’s decision reopening licensed bars and nightclubs lightly. Yes, imbibers are happy that they can enjoy themselves without fear of arrest.
However, on a more serious note bars constitute an important segment of the economy, one which has a big downstream impact as well. Bars and nightclubs directly employ thousands of people whose jobs were lost since
March last year as there was almost zero business.
Downstream, bars and nightclubs offer a wide range of opportunities for entertainers — comedians, dancers, musical bands and so on. These professionals were out of work over the past 18 months. They have been lobbying the
Government to reopen entertainment facilities. They must be happy now that bars and nightclubs can now operate.
This means they can resume their performances at the joints and get paid for that.
In addition, there is a huge supply sector that serves bars and nightclubs. There are alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages manufacturers such as Delta, African Distillers and Varun. There are food suppliers too. The closure of bars and nightclubs might have impacted negatively on their businesses. Happily for them, Tuesday brought them good news.
On another note, the reopening of bars and nightclubs is important as a signal that life is slowly returning to normal.
However — and this is vital — owners and managers of entertainment spots must be aware that they have to be really responsible as they return to work.
They need to understand that the reason why the Government took so long to reopen bars and nightclubs yet reopening other sectors of the economy is the Covid-19 super-spreader risk that the facilities pose.
People tend to drop their guard when they have one too many so we warn bar and nightclub owners, their workers as well as drinkers not to create circumstances that reverse the progress made so far in arresting Covid-19, and in doing so, avert a possible fourth wave of the deadly disease.
“The nation is advised that in view of a potential fourth wave and the general complacency being experienced in most communities following the relaxation from level four to level two lockdown,” said Minister Mutsvangwa,
“implementation and enforcement of all Public Health and Social Measures will continue to be strengthened with a focus on vaccine rollout and awareness campaigns at public places and gatherings.”
Management of nightclubs and bars should therefore, fight hard to make sure that they only serve customers who, as Minister Mutsvangwa said on Tuesday, are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. This caveat will be helpful in encouraging unvaccinated drinkers to get vaccinated for them to be able to freely patronise bars and nightclubs of their choice.
But vaccination is just one of the many ways to minimise the spread of the infection. Social distancing and hand sanitisation have to be upheld in entertainment spots even as only fully vaccinated customers must be admitted to the facilities. And social distancing is doubly crucial because no one can drink beer with their mask on.
So, yes, Tuesday marked the return of greater entertainment to the country after a sobering 18 months but let us not dance and drink ourselves into a fourth wave of Covid-19.
Online Reporter