The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
THE vaccination of teachers, tobacco merchants, their workers and those in the hospitality industry is set to commence immediately, as the country rolls out the second stage of Phase One of its vaccination programme.
Schools reopened on Monday for examination classes, with non-examination classes are set to reopen next Monday.
Schools were supposed to open on 4January but Government was forced to defer the opening due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.
Earlier this month, Government announced a new school calendar for the year. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, said term one ends on 4June with the second term commencing on 28 June, ending on 10 September.
The third term will start on October 4 and end on December 17.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the vaccination of teachers was to begin immediately, as Government forged ahead with its goal of inoculating 60 percent of the country’s population.
The announcement of a ramped up vaccination programme comes in the backdrop of Government’s procurement of more vaccines, with Zimbabwe yesterday receiving 200 000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine it bought from China. The also country receiver the second batch of 200 000 Sinopharm vaccines gifted to by its Asian ally.
“In order to utilize the existing capacity as agreed at the last Meeting, Cabinet resolved that Stage Two of Phase One of the vaccination roll-out will include tobacco merchants and their workers, teachers and hospitality industry workers, and this should commence immediately. Cabinet also agreed that all sporting activities will now resume and observe Standard Operating Procedures,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
