Chronicle Editor
Government’s decision to defer the re-opening of schools in phases which was set to start on 28 July, has shamed prophets of doom that had already started politicising the reopening of schools amid a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Cabinet on Tuesday deferred the reopening of schools to a later date and President Mnangagwa will soon announce the tightening of lockdown regulations in view of a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Prophets of doom were already accusing Government of being insensitive to the plight of both pupils and teachers yet when the dates for re-opening of schools were set, the situation was completely different from what it is now.
We want to believe after assessing the situation on the ground, the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Covid-19 led by Vice President Kembo Mohadi recommended the postponement of schools re-opening and tightening of lockdown regulations.
President Mnangagwa has always said people’s lives come first hence the decision to defer the re-opening of schools. Schools can always make up for the lost time but we cannot replace a lost life. The country had by Monday recorded 1 034 confirmed Covid-19 cases, 343 recoveries and 19 deaths.
The sudden sharp increase in Covid-19 cases calls for a complete change in behaviour and tightening of lockdown regulations that had been relaxed to allow the resumption of economic activities. What is disturbing is the increase in local transmissions which makes it difficult to trace contacts, a critical procedure in curbing the spread of the pandemic.
Most of the people that have been testing positive for Covid-19 were returning Zimbabweans from countries such as South Africa, Botswana, the United Kingdom and US but the situation dramatically changed during the past few weeks as the country is now recording more local transmissions compared to imported ones.
The failure to trace contacts results in the virus spreading unchecked hence the need for citizens to strictly adhere to Covid-19 health protocols to minimise the spread of the pandemic. Government said it will tighten lockdown regulations and at the same time introduce localised lockdowns in hotspot areas like Bulawayo.
It said it will strictly enforce the inter-city travel ban and Government will be the sole provider of transport for necessary inter-city travellers such as those travelling to seek medical treatment.
Many pirate taxis including kombis were illegally back on the road providing transport to inter-city travellers and we hope the police will rise to the occasion and remove the illegal transporters from the highways.
We want to implore citizens to play their part in minimising the risk of infection by strictly adhering to Covid-19 prevention regulations. Members of the public have of late been behaving as though we are now Covid-19 free as evidenced by big gatherings for church services, at beer drinking outlets and other such social gatherings.
Online Reporter