President Lazarus Chakwera has announced that all schools will close for 3 weeks but students in boarding schools will remain in their campuses until health authorities assess the severity of infection in those schools to determine whether it is safe for those students to go home.
During this time of containment in boarding schools, the Taskforce will provide additional support to the schools to manage the students’ transition there, including communication with their guardians and parents.
Additionally, Minister of Justice will gazette tomorrow the new guidelines recommended by the Ministerial Committee that the Vice-President convened during the week.
The new rules include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. All drinking places must close no later than 8pm, and must not allow the consumption of their goods on their premises. The same applies to all places of business. This will be strictly enforced.
2.Markets must close no later than 5pm, and all merchants and customers must wear a mask at all times.
3. All buildings used by the public, whether for business or public service, must be disinfected no less than once a week, and must be fitted with handwashing facilities at the entrance and exits.
4. Any person found in public by law enforcement authorities without a mask will be fined.
5. No person must be found wandering around socially between 9pm and 5am.
6. Employers must reorganize their employees to work in shifts if the work requires physical presence, and to work from home for the next three weeks if it does not.
8. Religious gatherings and all gatherings in general must have no more than 50 people under the strictest Covid-19 compliance certified and regulated by the local Council.
In tomorrow’s daily briefing, the Minister of Health will outline the other regulations to be enforced after they have been gazetted.
