Retailers applaud tightened Covid-19 measures

THE Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers ( CZR) has commended President Mnangagwa for implementing the Level Four lockdown measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Announcing the new measures at State House in Harare on Tuesday, President Mnangagwa said the enhanced lockdown measures would be in force for the next two weeks pending further review.

As Zimbabwe’s daily average infections rate continued to soar over the past few weeks, total cases have risen to over 48 000 while deaths have climbed to more than 1 700.

CZR president Denford Mutashu implored the organisation’s membership to observe the new guidelines to ensure effective curtailment of the surge in positive cases.

The Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe, however, says while it supported efforts to promote business continuity and curtail the spread of Covid-19, it was against a total lockdown with the restrictions to access to work places.

As such, in terms of the Level Four lockdown measures, industry and commerce will be allowed to operate from 8am to 3:30pm while the curfew will run from 6:30pm until 6am.

Industry must de-congest work places to 40 percent with the rest working from home, while commercial transport should observe strict Covid-19 prevention protocols.

Travellers from countries with Alpha and Delta variants of the Covid-19 will be quarantined at own expense and subjected to tests on first, fifth and tenth day, respectively.

Covid-19 vaccination blitz will be rolled out in border towns and cities, tobacco, grain and cotton marketing depots, major construction sites, peoples’ markets (like Renkin and Mbare) and all hotspots.

“CZR urges businesses and the general public to strictly adhere to the measures. Let us all remain vigilant and save lives and livelihoods.

“President Mnangagwa is on record saying it is better to save lives as the economy will be resuscitated in the future,” he said.

Mr Mutashu said the country was in a state of war against the Covid-19 pandemic, which requires collective responsibility to defeat the spread of the respiratory disease.

EMCOZ said it had noted with concern the rise in new cases and presence of a new wave in the country. EMCOZ president Dr Isaiah Murefu, said they had noted that areas affected by Covid-19 were starting to recover.

“A total lockdown may compound the problems that we were beginning to see being resolved, as business sentiment was gradually becoming positive and bullish,” he said.