from DANIEL JONES in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
VICTORIA FALLS, (CAJ News) – ZIMBABWE has eased lockdown restrictions against the coronavirus (COVID-19) as the country’s vaccination exercise bears fruit.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the country was moving from Level 4 to Level 2.
Intercity travel is now permitted.
Business can now open for extended hours until 7pm while restaurants and bars within hotels can open from 8am to 12 midnight.
Public gatherings are allowed up to 100 people. The country three weeks ago allowed churches to conduct services for fully vaccinated members.
“Due to the success of Zimbabwe’s vaccine rollout, Zimbabwe is now entering Level 2,” Mnangagwa said in an address on Tuesday.
Bottle stores have only been allowed to sell take -away until 4pm while beer outlets and nightclubs remain closed.
Workplaces should decongest to 50 percent of the workforce.
Cross border requirements that include persons entering the country from other countries being required to undergo a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test not more than 48 hours from the time of their departure for Zimbabwe still remain in place.
Low risk sports have also been given permission to resume from 8am to 4pm while high and medium risk sporting activities should seek approval from authorities.
The president said the lockdown regime would be reviewed in two weeks.
As at September 6, Zimbabwe had 125 671 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 4 493 deaths.
A total of 2 729 955 people had fully vaccinated.
The country procured more than 12 million vaccines as it targets to inoculate about 60 percent of the estimated 15 million population to reach national heard immunity.
Zimbabwe recently donated 20 000 vaccines to Namibia.
– CAJ News