Category: #COVID19

Zim COVID-19 New Cases and Hospitalisations On The Increase

Healthtimes

THE number of new coronaries cases have doubled over the past seven days, leading to a rise in hospitalizations over the same period, the Zimbabwean cabinet has warned. By Staff Reporter Briefing Journalists during Post Cabinet Media Briefing, Acting Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Joram Gumbo said, “As of 21 February, 2022, Zimbabwe’s cumulative COVID-19 cases stood at 233 352, with 224 940 recoveries and 5 386 deaths. The recovery rate stood at 96%, with 929 active cases having been recorded. The number of new COVID-19 cases increased to…

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#BREAKING: Zimbabwe To Extend Vaccination To 12 and 15 Year Olds

Michael Gwarisa

THE Zimbabwean cabinet has announced plans to vaccinate 12 and 15 year olds as part of plans to expand the vaccination program and attain herd immunity as the COID-19 pandemic gradually transforms into an endemic. By Michael Gwarisa The development comes a few months after government extended vaccination to 16 year olds. Briefing Journalists during a Post Cabinet Media Briefing in Harare, Joram Gumbo, the acting information minister said. “Based on advise from the paediatric association of Zimbabwe special COVID-19 vaccine group, and therefore has resolved to extend COVID-19 vaccination…

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Being vaccinated against Covid-19 opens doors

Healthtimes

THE Covid-19 pandemic has undermined economies and dramatically changed the way we work, disrupting labour markets both across the continent and globally. By Carême Kouamé What the pandemic has done is push both organisations and consumers to adopt new behaviours – some of which are likely to persist. The big question is the extent to which remote working will continue to be adopted. While remote working was at first highly appealing in the early days of the pandemic and national lockdowns, the cracks soon started to appear as boredom and…

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Health Ministry tasked to provide provincial COVID-19 vaccination targets

Healthtimes

CABINET has directed the Ministry of Health and Child Care to devise monthly vaccination targets for the country’s 10 provinces as a way of increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake. By Staff Reporter On February 15 2022, 2 868 received the first jab today bringing cumulative for first dose to 4 318 495. The number of people who got their second dose was 2 270 bringing cumulative for second dose to 3 349 207 while 1 594 had their third dose bringing cumulative this dose to 86 364. Upbeat about the COVID-19…

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Unvaccinated Zim Civil Servants Won’t Get Salaries

Healthtimes

THE Public Service Commission of Zimbabwe (PSC), has warned that civil servants who refuse to get vaccinated without any proof or meaningful medical reason for not getting vaccinated, shall be barred from their workplaces and will not be getting their salaries for the period of their banishment. By Staff Reporter In a circular written to permanent secretaries for various ministries, PSC Secretary, Ambassador Jonathan Utaunashe called on all vaccinated civil servants to return to work in line with the new COVID-19 containment measures. In view of the announcement by the…

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Sweet News!!! COVID-19 downgrading to an endemic stage

Michael Gwarisa

THE coronavirus pandemic is transitioning into an endemic stage where the virus will be spreading at a slower rate, making it more predictable and manageable within countries, a top World Health Organisation official has said. By Michael Gwarisa The difference between an epidemic and a pandemic isn’t in the severity of the disease, but the degree to which it spreads.A pandemic cuts across international boundaries, as opposed to regional epidemics. Speaking during a virtual press briefing, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the Regional Director of the World Health Organization Regional Office for…

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Time to Mainstream COVID-19 into GBV and Women’s Rights programing

Healthtimes

In 2021, my nephew died of COVID-19. Just like so many relatives of more than 5,367 Zimbabweans[1] who have died during the nearly two-year pandemic, I was not able to participate in a funeral, wake, body viewing or funeral. These are all important rituals and I still feel sad when I think of how I not only lost him, but I also missed the chance to properly mourn him with loved ones. By Edinah Masiyiwa The pandemic and its outcomes have not only robbed us of our loved ones, but…

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Coronavirus pandemic: The worst could be over, says South African Professor

Healthtimes

JOHANNESBURG – The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic may be over, according to Professor Shabir Madhi, vaccinology Professor at Wits University. Madhi says more variants can be expected but they may not be as severe as the first three waves. He says when another variant arises it will be similar to the Omicron variant. “It’s very likely that there will be another resurgence and another variant in the coming months but when the new variant arrives it won’t perform any differently from how omicron performed,” Madhi said. “People will still…

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Crucial changes needed to protect workers’ health while teleworking

Healthtimes

The World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization have called for measures to be put in place to protect workers’ health while teleworking. Own Correspondent A new technical brief to healthy and safe teleworking, published by the two UN agencies, outlines the health benefits and risks of teleworking and the changes needed to accommodate the shift towards different forms of remote work arrangements brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital transformation of work. Among the benefits, the report says, there can be improved work–life balance, opportunities for…

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Bias-driven travel bans are an ineffective response to variants

Healthtimes

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 1st February 2022-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The knee-jerk travel bans imposed late last year in response to Omicron were inconvenient for many – particularly given the holiday season. But they were also deeply destructive: separating families and loved ones; undercutting businesses and livelihoods; and causing further economic losses. By Linda Weaver While most countries have lifted the restrictions, the ripple effects will continue to be felt for months to come. And it is important that we understand the costs, so that we exercise greater care as we…

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