Zimbabwe reverts to level 4 lockdown as Covid-19 cases rise

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced that Zimbabwe is reverting to Level 4 lockdown following a sharp rise in new coronavirus (COVID-19) infections.

Speaking from State House, President Mnangagwa said the measures are with immediate effect and will be in place for two weeks and then be reviewed thereafter.

Businesses will operate from 0800hrs to 1500hrs in compliance with the general curfew running from 1830hrs to 0600hrs. Here are some of the measures that come into effect today:

• Industry to decongest workplaces to 40 per cent with the rest working from home.
• Commercial transport to remain operational but observe COVID-19 protocols.
• Intercity movements prohibited except for the production and movement of food and medicines.
• Travellers from countries with Alpha and Delta variants will be quarantined and tested on the first, fifth and tenth days at their own expense.
• Ministers and legislators will be despatched to their constituencies to educate people on the vaccination programmes.
• Travellers with fake COVID-19 documents to be arrested with a custodial sentence.
• Deportees to be quarantined for ten days at a place of their choice.
• People operating at marketplaces, tobacco auction floors cotton sales floors to be vaccinated before they can operate. Those who refuse will not be allowed to operate.

It is currently not yet clear if Mining will be added to essential services and be allowed to resume operations as previously. Mining Zimbabwe sent questions to relevant authorities and by the time of publishing we had not yet received a response.