Cabinet Bars School Half Term Breaks




Monica Mutsvangwa
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GOVERNMENT has ordered the ministries of Health and Primary and Secondary Education to expedite the implementation of standard guidelines for the coordinated prevention and management of Covid-19 in schools while strengthening measures to ensure continuous teaching and learning during isolation or quarantine.

This follows the resurgence of Covid-19 spurred by the cases in boarding schools throughout the country.

The government also said the half-term schools’ breaks must not be, allowed to allow learners to catch up with their syllabuses

“The nation is informed that the Cabinet directed that half term breaks are prohibited in order to help learners catch up on time already lost during the lockdown and this will also strengthen COVID-19 containment measures, ” Information Minister Mutsvangwa told journalists Tuesday during a post-cabinet media briefing.

“It is apparent that Mashonaland East; Midlands; Masvingo and Matabeleland South provinces are experiencing a resurgence of Covid-19 spurred by the cases in boarding schools,” she said.

“The majority of the cases were mild and asymptomatic without the need for hospitalization and are being managed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.”

Mutsvangwa also said as of 27 September, the country’s cumulative Covid-19-19 cases stood at 129 919, with 122 446 recoveries and 4 607 deaths.

The recovery rate stood at 94%, with 99% of cases being attributable to local transmission.

Active cases stand at 2 772.

This week the number of cases recorded went up to 3356.  The cases increased slightly, with 1687 cases recorded during the week under consideration, compared to 1669, the previous week.

The following areas recorded the most significant number of new cases: Masvingo (450); Mashonaland East Province (261); Matabeleland North (216); Manicaland (193); Midlands (190) and Mashonaland Central (145).

“Cabinet advises the nation that as of 27th September 2021, a total of        3 051 371 people had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 2 211 880 their second across the country,” Mutsvangwa said.

“This translates to a national coverage of 35.7% for the first dose and 25.8% for the second dose. Of special note is that the country achieved the three million vaccination milestone for the first dose on 23 September, 2021. Cabinet wishes to further inform citizens that China made yet another donation of 500 000 doses of Sinovac vaccine, which were received on 26th September, 2021,” she said.

The total number of vaccine doses sourced since roll-out of the vaccination programme is 12 300 000, the bulk of which were procured through treasury. – Newzim