BULAWAYO – President Emmerson Mnangangwa on Saturday declared that “no-one will escape” being vaccinated for Covid-19, with Zimbabwe expecting 2.5 million vaccine doses from China in the next few days.
Vaccination remains voluntary in Zimbabwe, but government officials have been hinting that people who have not been vaccinated will be denied access to certain services.
“I urge all the officers, graduates to take the injection. No-one can refuse,” Mnangagwa said, speaking at the graduation of 1,200 prison officers in Ntabazinduna, near Bulawayo.
“The government will continue to ensure the availability of vaccines. Tomorrow (Sunday) we’re receiving another 500 thousand doses and at the end of the month we will receive another two million, so no-one will escape being injected.”
Vice president and health minister Constantino Chiwenga declared last Thursday that market traders will not be given stalls unless they can prove that they have been vaccinated.
Officially, vaccination remains voluntary across the country.
At least 747,000 Zimbabweans have taken at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines.
Infections are climbing again, with 801 new cases reported on Saturday including four deaths. Since March last year, Zimbabwe has declared over 46,000 infections and 1,725 deaths.
