HOME-made face masks yesterday sold like hot cakes with vendors plying their business closer to security checkpoints, where those not wearing masks were being turned away.

At first, police were being lenient, turning such travellers away before they started arresting them for violating the recently gazetted Statutory Instrument 99 of 2020, which criminalises failure to put on a mask.

The vendors enjoyed brisk business in the early hours of yesterday when scores of employees returned to work.

Vendors, mainly women, were jostling for clients without observing social distance regulations.

In terms of the new health regulations gazetted on Saturday, those who fail to wear masks in public face punitive action or imprisonment of up to one year.

Explaining the new requirement Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo said every time a person leaves home, he or she has to wear a mask.

He said masks could be anything that covers the nose and mouth.-State media