Harare (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe on Tuesday announced the re-opening of its borders, in response to the continued decline in Covid-19 cases.
Addressing a post Cabinet meeting, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols will be followed at the borders to prevent the spread of the pandemic among travellers.
“Cabinet resolved that in view of the continued decline in new cases and deaths coupled with a declining testing positivity rate that is indicating that the community transmission has gone down, all ports of entry be reopened but ensuring that all the recommended
COVID-19 prevention measures are adhered to, and all persons entering Zimbabwe must have undergone
a valid COVID-19 PCR test not more than 48 hours from the time of their departure for Zimbabwe, and fully vaccinated.
” Those who have received a booster vaccine shot have an entry advantage,” she said.
Mutsvangwa said the country had managed the fourth wave of COVID-19 as shown by the decrease in cases.
“When Cabinet adjourned on 14 December, 2021, the country was in the midst of the fourth wave with an average of 4 014 per day, and currently the new cases average less than 1000,” she said.
As at 14 February, 2022, the country’s cumulative COVID-19 cases stood at 231 337, with 223 603 recoveries and 5 374 deaths.
Mutsvangwa said despite the continued decline in the number of new cases and deaths reported per day, strict enforcement of all COVID-19 regulations would be implemented.
On the country’s Covid-19 vaccination programme, she said Cabinet resolved that Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution and their teams submit updated vaccination campaign strategies to strengthen vaccination services in their provinces.
“Provinces should take advantage of the reopening of schools to ramp up vaccinations for those who are 16 years and above; that the Ministry of Health and Child Care come up with vaccination targets per month for each province in order to help ramp up vaccination as well as urgently identify and address any challenges in a timely fashion, ” she said.
She added :” Treasury will release adequate funds to support vaccine risk communication and community engagement campaigns as well as the updated provincial vaccine strategies and micro plans that aim to ramp up vaccinations”
As at 14 February, 2022, a total of 4 346 937 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been administered, while 3 344 755 people had received their second dose.
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