President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday declared that no one can escape being injected with COVID-19 vaccines as the country aims to achieve herd immunity.
He made the remarks while at the graduation of 1 200 prison officers in Ntabazinduna, near Bulawayo. Earlier this year, Mnangagwa said those who are not vaccinated risked losing out on job opportunities and other services.
Ironically, Mnangagwa reiterated that vaccination remains voluntary in Zimbabwe. He told graduating prison officers:
_I urge all the officers, graduates to take the injection. No one can refuse._
_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._
Mnangagwa speaks after his deputy, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga who doubles as the Health Minister declared last Thursday that market traders will not be given stalls unless they can prove that they have been vaccinated.
More than 747 000 Zimbabweans have taken at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccines.
The call for everybody to be vaccinated comes as Zimbabwe is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases with 801 new cases reported on Saturday including four deaths.
Since March last year, Zimbabwe has officially recorded at least 46 000 infections, 37 604 recoveries and 1 725 deaths.
More: Pindula News; ZimLive