Zim pushes for Herd Immunity against Covid19

Zimbabwe has stepped up efforts to reach herd immunity by taking the vaccination drive to bus terminuses in a bid to be more accessible to the public.

The move comes with a hint that soon the government will not allow those who are not vaccinated to board public transport buses.

Speaking at a post-cabinet briefing in Harare recently, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services minister Monica Mutsvangwa said, “Please note that there will be a time when people will not be allowed to board public transport without a valid vaccination card.”

Mutsvangwa said their focus was on preventing the fourth wave amid reports of the presence of the Omicron Variant in Zimbabwe.

Covid19 cases have been increasing, on the 6th of December Zimbabwe recorded over 2500 new cases, a major shift from the average of 1000 and below recorded earlier. Mutsvangwa said they were concerned by the numbers of cases, “Cabinet notes, with concern, that there has been a sharp increase in the average total number of new cases reports per day during the past two weeks.

Government, therefore, calls upon citizens to strictly observe the national and World Health Organisation (WHO) Covid-19 protocols, most importantly the regulations contained in Statutory Instrument (SI) 267 announced last week, which will be strictly enforced.”

She adds that the push towards herd immunity is slowly becoming within reach. Currently Zimbabwe has achieved nearly 40% and the goal is to at least have 60% heard immunity.

The pandemic continues to wreak havoc across the globe, there has been talking of booster shots to help build immunity and Zimbabwe has not been spared. Sources say adding on to the procured vaccines, Zimbabwe may get more vaccines from China like it did when the pandemic started. Zimbabwe has been doing better than many countries in the region in its vaccination drive.