Zimbabwe extends lockdown, bars re-open

On Tuesday, October 5, Zimbabwe extended its Covid-19 lockdown by a further two weeks, but licenced bars will be allowed to re-open to fully vaccinated patrons.

Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa told journalists following a Cabinet meeting in Harare that the country has seen a sharp decline in infections, with the recovery rate now at 94 per cent.

“All licenced bars can now open to fully vaccinated clients. Bar owners are required to ensure that Covid-19 protocols and guidelines are enforced, failure of which licences will be withdrawn,” Mutsvangwa said.

She said the arrival last week of 943,200 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine procured under the United Nations’ COVAX facility had pushed the number of doses received to date to 13,243,200.

On Monday, the health ministry said 3,117,895 people had taken the first dose of a vaccine, while 2,322,862 people are now fully vaccinated.

The vaccination programme has slowed, however, with just 6,101 taking the first dose on Monday and 10,525 their second.

The government has set an ambitious target of vaccinating 60 per cent of the country’s population by Christmas, but only 15 per cent of the country’s 15 million people have been vaccinated so far.