Health experts yesterday advocated for schools to be closed before their proper dates as their are suspecting a 3rd wave of the COVID-19 in the country.
The 3rd wave is expected to have already hit the country as evidenced by the surge in new infections in the past few weeks, a situation which poses a huge challenge to the already ailing public healthcare system.
Mpilo Cental Hospital acting Chief Executive Officer, Solwayo Ngwenya yesterday told journalists that schools were at a higher risk of a third wave saying the infection will be out of control if the wave infect students.
“The situation in schools is difficult. If we wait for that month when schools close, the infection and viral spread will be out of control. If indeed there are infections, they should close down the schools. However, the major worry is that the students will take the virus into the community.” He said.
He added that the 3rd wave was in the country and spreading faster to communities who were now complacent.
“The third wave is unfortunately here and is building up faster than we can imagine.” He said.
Meanwhile, Harare City Council’s health services director Dr Prosper Chonzi in a video posted on Facebook yesterday warned of a health emergency as the winter approaches.
“We are anticipating a third wave as we are going into winter and we are anticipating that we get more and more cases coming. The situation might look as if everything is back to normal, but we are still having cases of Covid-19 at our units and in schools,” he said.
Furthermore, the United Nations (UN) yesterday urged nations to adopt preventive measures against the COVID-19 as the pandemic was still far from over.
The UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres in a tweet said countries worldwide failed to effectively deal with the COVID-19 pandemic as evidenced by an increase in the number of new infections and deaths.
“So far, the global response to COVID-19 is a test we have failed. And the crisis is far from over. We need to heed the lessons now to prevent successive waves of infection, avoid a lengthy global recession and get back on track to fulfil the global goals,” he said.
Today Zimbabwe recorded a total of 37 875 Covid-19 confirmed cases, 1 263 active cases, 16 new cases, 27 new recoveries and one death.
The country aims to vaccinate 60% of its population which is approximately 10 million people so to achieve herd immunity.
