TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
The spread of the highly contagious Covid-19 variant is threatening Matabeleland North Province affecting the tourism sector, Provincial Affairs minister Richard Moyo has said.
Moyo told Business Times that he was concerned that most districts in the province have been hit hard by the new variant of the Covid- 19 pandemic with the high number of new cases being recorded daily.
“Our province has been greatly affected as businesses operate for short hours now. As we all know , people survive on being informal traders so this hasn’t given them the motivation to boost their businesses. The tourism sector which has been our backbone is affected as well, we are now out,” Moyo said.
“People should stop moving around, especially in rural areas where they go without any reason at growth points. I encourage them to stay in their homes.”
Government is rolling out vaccines against Covid-19 across the country.
Zimbabwe is targeting to vaccinate about 60% of the population to attain herd immunity.
Moyo said 15 000 doses were available to the province and the hotspots districts will get the first preference to receive the jab.
“We are looking forward to them being distributed to the hotspot areas. Everyone in the province will be vaccinated but firstly we want those in hotspot areas to be vaccinated,” he said.
“People should take a leaf from Victoria Falls. After getting inoculated, there are now a few cases, or no cases of Covid-19 in the resort town, which means the vaccine works. At least when you get the infection, your system can fight and you can be saved.”
Last week, Zimbabwe took delivery of 2m Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines bought from China, with another 3.5m by September as the government intensifies the vaccination programme, as part of efforts to bring life in the country back to normalcy.
