admin
Thupeyo Muleya–Beitbridge Bureau
Scores of travellers fully vaccinated against Covid-19 started crossing into Zimbabwe yesterday without the need to produce PCR negative certificates.
But those that are not fully vaccinated still have to produce a PCR negative certificate that is not more than 48 hours old.
The new regulations activating this week’s Cabinet decision to relax immigration rules for the fully vaccinated only were gazetted by Health and Child Care Minister Dr Constantino Chiwenga yesterday.
Under Statutory Instrument 67 of 2022, vaccinated travellers are allowed to enter and leave the country and those who are not vaccinated will have to produce a PCR negative certificate. On Tuesday, Cabinet resolved to scrap PCR test requirements for all returning residents and visitors provided they were fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The regional immigration officer-in-charge of Beitbridge Mr Joshua Chibundu said they had deployed enough vaccinated manpower to deal with any surge in human and vehicular traffic.
He said they were also working with other security officials and border agencies to enforce compliance issues.
“We are yet to record any out of the ordinary traffic. So far between 2pm and 6pm (yesterday), we processed 187 entries and 135 on exits,” he said.
“Operations will be reviewed depending on the situation on the ground. For now, it’s business as usual.”
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, 15 000 people would pass through Beitbridge daily, but due to previous movement restrictions, an average of 2 000 travellers have been using the border daily.
Online Reporter