Spiking Covid-19 Infections: A Call for Government To Lead By Example in Adhering to Preventative Measures – December 2021 Access to Public Health Monitoring Report (2)

This report by the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute gives insights into the rising Covid-19 infections and calls on government and the ruling party to lead by example in the adherence to preventative measures.

The period under consideration was characterised by the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant by the name omicron. The variant has ignited new Covid-19 infections across the globe. In Zimbabwe, the Minister of Health and Child Care Constantino Chiwenga on 2 December 2021 announced Covid-19 omicron variant has been identified in the country. This new variant was reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 24 November 2021.

In response to a spike in new infections driven by the omicron variant, the government of Zimbabwe maintained the country on level 2 ockdown which, among other measures, includes limiting public gatherings to not more than hundred (100) people with observance of public health measures of wearing masks, sanitizing, social distancing and temperature checks. However, these measures appear to be a case of “do as I say and not as I do” as the ruling ZANU-PF party led government continue to violate the guidelines.

The continued emergence of new variants associated with the Covid-19 pandemic requires that government takes a leading role in religiously observing the laid down preventative measures as espoused in level 2 lockdown. This goes a long way in limiting the spread of the deadly virus of Covid-19.

Read the full report here (1MB PDF)

Source: Zimbabwe Democracy Institute