BBy A Correspondent- According to a local publication, health professionals have called on the government to consider reimposing a strict lockdown of the whole country for at least 21 days.
The Daily News reported that the development follows a surge in coronavirus cases, especially mysterious local transmissions.
The suggestion comes following the announcement calling on citizens to participate in a massive demonstration penciled for July 31.
The demonstration, which were first called by Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume to mark the second anniversary of a disputed election which President Mnangagwa’s rivals say he stole.
Other opposition leaders including main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa and Temba Mliswa have endorsed the demonstrations.
The government previously responded with sheer force to quell massive protests – in August 2018 and January 2019, with over two dozen people losing their lives.
The president of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA), Enock Dongo, said on Thursday that Zimbabwe should not copy what other countries have done, that is, easing lockdown restrictions but should exactly do the opposite. He said:
Government needs to rethink its COVID-19 strategy. We need to go back to full-scale lockdown for about 21 days or more.
We cannot afford to go by what other countries are doing. As it is, 18 nurses in Bulawayo tested positive and imagine who else besides colleagues and patients have they met?
Countries that have relaxed their lockdowns make sure that health officials do not go back home where they can meet with the public, and they also don’t use public transport.
We cannot afford that. Let us fully lock down the country and start doing mass testing and massive contact tracing, otherwise, we will perish.
The secretary-general of the Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA), Aaron Musara, said it is worrisome that authorities were no longer enforcing coronavirus regulations – wearing of masks and social distancing – effectively.
Before talking of going back to Stage 5 of the lockdown, we have to be able to implement what is supposed to be implemented now, Musara observed.
-DailyNews