State Media|Government will determine the next course of action ahead of tomorrow’s expiry of the 21-day lockdown period and the nation anxiously awaits the pronouncement of new ordinances to guide the fight against the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.

Latest statistics show that Zimbabwe has recorded 24 Covid-19 confirmed cases and three deaths. So far, 2 493 people have been tested.

Health experts, business leaders and social commentators in Zimbabwe and beyond have been unanimous in urging caution and prudence in the crafting of new measures which guarantee public safety and socio-economic well-being.

Lockdown precautions taken worldwide have had a negative impact on the global economy, resulting in widespread suffering of people but there is little doubt leaders like President Mnangagwa made the correct call by prioritising public health and safety over economic benefits.

Although there is concern over the spike in confirmed Covid-19 cases in Zimbabwe, the Government’s initial lockdown measures have been effective in containing the pandemic, which has killed 150 000 people and infected 2,2 million people worldwide so far.

Executive director of the Community Working Group on Health Mr Itai Rusike said an extension of Zimbabwe’s lockdown appears inevitable given the rise in new Covid-19 cases.

The country, he added, needed to be in line with regional strategies especially when its biggest trading partner, South Africa, extended its lockdown to 30 April.

“Obviously they will not allow entry to any visitors from Zimbabwe during their lockdown period in order to protect and safeguard their citizens.

“If the lockdown is extended, the Government will need to keep the general public informed about the intended duration of measures, provide support for older people, vulnerable populations and ensure the welfare of people who have lost their income and are in desperate need of food, water and other essential services,” he opined.

The government has a duty to protect social and economic rights in the measures it would take especially in relation to health systems, safe water, basic incomes, shelter, work and transport.

“Zimbabwe definitely needs to flatten the curve through various measures to prevent rapid transmission, which will give the health services a better chance of managing the pandemic and people a better chance of getting the care they need.”

A public health practitioner with the Harare City Council, Dr Hilda Bara, advocated an extension of the lockdown period with more stringent controls on visitors from outside the country to prevent imported cases.

She said law enforcement agents needed to be more visible in residential areas to ensure people did not continue to gather and roam around.

“Now there is need to step up the lockdown by enforcing the stay at home strategy and close borders so that those who are already incubating will be identified. Further spreading is minimised and if this does happen, its limited to just the household contacts and we reduce imported cases,” she said.

Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights chair Dr Fortune Nyamande concurred on the extension of the lockdown during which a massive screening and testing programme should be undertaken. The 21-day lockdown, he said, was necessary to reduce the continued spread of the virus and to allow the health system to buy some time and be strengthened to effectively respond to cases.

The lockdown was however, supposed to have been complemented by a nationwide screening and testing programme for cases to be tested, isolated and treated.

“Although there have been some positive steps towards increasing the health system preparedness during the same period, our capacity to hospitalise severe cases is still low,” said Dr Nyamande.

He added that it was imperative to expand the number of laboratories, hospitalisation units and intensive care facilities to care for Covid-19 cases while a social support programme to avert the negative impact on livelihoods was a necessity.

However, the local business lobby groups want a relaxation of measures to allow economic activity on a limited and monitored scale to avoid company closured and job losses.

Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries President Mr Henry Ruzvidzo, while acknowledging that the lockdown was a necessary response to the real threat posed by Covid-19, the implementation had to be sensitive to the underlying conditions in the economy and the limited fiscal and donor leg room to ensure business continuity which was important to preserve jobs and the economy.

“It is therefore, important to consider how economic activity can be enhanced and still be in alignment with sound health guidelines. If feasible, the lockdown should be extended but with relaxations on industry.”

Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe president Mr Israel Murefu said if the responsible authorities deemed it fit to further extend the lockdown, they should do so with relaxation on some of the measures for business.

“Every business would have to ensure that it provides employees and customers with personal protective equipment, screening at their entrances using gun thermometers and providing handwashing soaps and liquids. If this is not done, some companies might never reopen after the lockdown. We have since submitted our position to Government through the Tripartite Negotiating Forum,” said Mr Murefu.

The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) said the Government should consider a partial lockdown to avoid massive job losses.

In recommendations submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, ZNCC predicted that 25 percent of permanent formal jobs and 75 percent of casual/temporary formal jobs, would be lost if the lockdown was extended in its present format.

“If the total lockdown is extended without resorting to partial lockdown, some of the leisure and tourism operators might completely collapse,” said the ZNCC.

Business leaders, health experts and local governments in other Covid-19 hit countries have been sparring with central governments over how the lockdown measures should be implemented.

US President Mr Donald Trump is advocating a reopening of business, a move bitterly opposed by Governors of some states and public health officials.

Elsewhere in Iran, one of the worst affected countries, President Hassan Rouhani says the country is ready to resume business on a limited scale while the mayor of the capital Tehran is of a different opinion.

Some businesses classified as low risk have reopened outside Tehran after the Government eased restrictions and vowed to protect people from the economic impact of coronavirus.