Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has placed the country back on a strict level four lockdown, with new restrictions, which include custodial sentences for fake Covid-19 certificate holders, ban on intercity travel and mandatory quarantine for deportees and those from countries with Alpha and Delta Covid-19 variants now in place.
Businesses will now operate from 8am and close at 3.30pm as part of the lockdown conditions.
The restrictions, which take effect immediately, will be in place for two weeks pending a review of the situation.
Key highlights of the new restrictions are:
Travellers from countries with Alpha and Delta Covid-19 variants, will be quarantined and tested on 1st, 3rd, 5th and 10th day at their own expense
Travellers with fake Covid-19 documents will attract custodial sentences
Intercity movement are prohibited, except for production and distribution of food and medicine
Those deported back to Zimbabwe will be subject to self-quarantine, or be quarantined in identified places
A Covid-19 vaccination blitz will be rolled out in the border towns and cities, tobacco auction floors, GMB and Cottco depots, major construction sites and people’s markets
Commerce and industry are to open from 8am-3.30pm in compliance with the 6.30pm-6am general curfew hours
Commercial transport is to remain operational to allow economy to continue to run, “but all people must observe Covid-19 protocols.”
Industry to decongest workplaces to 40 percent of manning levels
Ministers and MPs will be dispatched to their constituencies to disseminate information on Covid-19 vaccination programme
The President said the new regulations are designed to allow as much economic activity to continue as possible while containing the spread of the virus.
“Following a recent surge in Covid-19 cases and subsequent to the localised lockdown measures introduced in places such as Kwekwe, Karoi, Kariba and Chinhoyi, we are now stepping up our efforts by introducing additional enhanced level four measures,” he said.
“As we continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, I call upon the whole nation to continue observing the WHO protocols, as well as to embrace the free vaccination programme that is availed by Government to protect all our people.
“Commercial transport is to remain operational to allow the economy to continue to run, but all people must observe Covid-19 protocols.”
The President also directed employers to decongest workplaces by allowing 40 percent of their staff to work from the site with the rest working from home.
Cumulative cases as at Monday were 47 284 and 1 749 deaths.
Mashonaland West had the highest number of 195 new cases followed by Midlands with 116 cases. Harare had 113 cases while Masvingo recorded 101 cases. Mashonaland East had 98 cases while Mashonaland Central had 90 cases. Bulawayo recorded 57 cases with Manicaland having 43 cases. Matabeleland has the least number with 29 cases. No cases were recorded in Matabeleland South.
In Bulawayo, some suburbs including the city centre have been classified as Covid-19 hotspots.
The affected suburbs are: Nkulumane, Pelandaba, Emganwini, Sizinda, Barham Green, Emakhandeni, Cowdray Park, Luveve, Njube, Magwegwe, Pumula, Nguboyenja Makokoba, Mzilikazi and Mpopoma.
Online Reporter