By Faith Muringai
Health experts said that they foresee an extension of the 30-day lockdown imposed by the Government if people do not submit to the recommended guidelines to stop the spread of Covid-19.
This comes when more people and vehicles are not following proper Covid-19 lockdown rules as evidenced by a flurry of movements in residential areas like Mkoba and in the central business district (CBD)
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said that the volumes of vehicles and people who are getting into town are necessitated by the various Government ministries who are issuing exemption letters.
“The volumes of vehicles and people who are getting into town are necessitated by the various Government ministries who are issuing exemption letters. We want to verify the people that have been exempted for work as we seek to minimize the movement of people who are getting into town every day,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
Police in Gweru continue with the enforcement of Covid-19 regulations, arresting people for rebelling lockdown regulations.
Under new lockdown measures funeral gatherings have been limited to 30 people, church services have been banned, bars and bottle stores shut down, restaurants closed while intercity and inter-provincial movement have been limited to those classified as essential service providers.
Members of the public are expected to shop within a 5 kilometer radius from their homes while essential service employees are allowed to pass through checkpoints after producing exemption letters.
Manufacturers who went into their annual shut down over Christmas and New Year are now open.
There is a traffic seen largely in the early morning and late afternoon, when smaller numbers permitted to work in town have already gone home and permitted businesses are closed.
There are long queues on Zupco buses not observing social distance though they are sanitizing.
Teachers have been warned against conducting physical extra lessons as it violates Covid-19 regulations.
According to Taungana Ndoro director of communications for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, only online lessons are permitted and teachers who violate Covid-19 regulations by conducting physical extra lessons will be prosecuted.
“We are clear when it comes to the issue of extra lessons and we have made it clear that only online lessons have been permitted,” he said.
