Unvaccinated Govt workers barred from work

Harare (New Ziana) -All vaccinated civil servants who have been working from home in adherence to Covid-19 protocols should now return to work while those who have not been inoculated, but do not have any underlying medical conditions will be barred pending disciplinary hearings, an official has said.

In a circular to all Ministries, Public Service Commission secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe said all workers with medical conditions that exempt them vaccination would be required to produce proof from a medical doctor.

“In view of the announcement by the Acting President General (Rtd) Dr C.G.D.N Chiwenga on January 2022, regarding measures for Covid-19 containment in the country, heads of Ministries are directed to adhere to the under-listed measures with immediate effect, all vaccinated members to return to work with immediate effect.

“Face to face interviews now permitted in strict adherence to Covid-19 health measures, office hours shall remain the same and in line with Section 3 (a) (i) of Statutory Instrument 234 of 2021, members not vaccinated should be barred from the workplace and shall not be paid while they are barred,” he said in the circular.

According to the circular, any employee who is not fully vaccinated without a reasonable excuse shall be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Wutawunashe told New Ziana that less than one percent of government workers could still be unvaccinated largely due to medical reasons.

“Of course within the 1 percent could be some people who have not been vaccinated due to medical reasons and we have requested that they bring confirmation from their doctors.

“The measures we are implementing are to do with social distancing. We do not have large face to face meetings and the room will be well ventilated.

“We still maintain that Ministries will provide Personal Protective Equipment especially face masks and sanitisation and fumigation facilities and also that people are checked their temperatures on entry to buildings.

He added: “We are implementing similar measures on PSC buses.”

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Nick Mangwana echoed Wutawunashe’s sentiments that the government was protecting its workers.

“Cabinet pronounced itself on this matter in October 2021 where it gave people time to get vaccinated unless there is a justifiable cause why they cannot be vaccinated. Govt has a responsibility to protect its workers from unnecessary exposure to disease transmitted from people who choose not to be vaccinated without a sensible reason.

“In this case the Government is just protecting a vast majority of its workers from the unwise decision of a very minority few,” he said.

New Ziana