President Mnangagwa relaxes lockdown

Harare(New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday announced relaxed COVID-19 lockdown measures, including longer business trading hours and a shorter curfew.

Announcing a move from level four to level two lockdown, President Mnangagwa cited the marked reduction in new COVID-19 cases and deaths over the past two weeks.

He said the weekly average for new cases declined from 2 564 in the second week of August to the current 1065 while that of deaths had gone down from 140 to 76.

“The marked declined in cases and deaths is a clear demonstration that government’s careful implementation of public health and social measures including lockdowns in collaboration with all sectors and stakeholders is paying off,” he said.

“I am therefore introducing a relaxation of the current level four lockdown to level two lockdown. The relaxation includes but is not limited to the following measures; a curfew beginning at 2200hrs and ending at 0530 hrs. Ordinary business enterprises to operate between 0800hrs and 1900hrs, restaurants and bars within hotels and lodges to open between 0800hrs and 2200hrs, bottle stores may sell liquor to customers for consumption off the premises between 1000hrs and 1600hrs,” he said.

“Public gatherings to be limited to not more than 100people with observance of public health measures such as wearing masks, sanitizing, social distancing and temperature checks and people are encouraged to be vaccinated. Decongestion of offices shall be at 50 percent of ordinary capacity (and) intercity transport is permitted with observance of public health measures.”

President Mnangagwa also allowed low risk sporting activities to resume, while medium to high risk sporting activities need to obtain approval beforehand.

He said people entering Zimbabwe would be required to produce a PCR test certificate not more than 48 hours old.
Beer halls and nightclubs however remain closed.

“This lockdown relaxation will be reviewed in two weeks,” he said.

President Mnangagwa warned the public against complacency and encouraged vaccination against the virus.

“The threat or the pandemic still exists especially in view of the recent identification of a new virus variant by the World Health Organisation. The nation must therefore remain vigilant,” he said.

“Vaccination is a critical prevention measure; I therefore urge all of us to get vaccinated and continue to adhere to all the other recommended prevention measures.”
New Ziana