Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. By Idah Mhetu – PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says the country will receive its Covid-19 vaccine soon, adding that frontline staff in the fight against the pandemic shall be prioritised.
Mnangagwa said this in a televised State of the nation address Saturday afternoon.
The country battles a devastating Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed nearly a thousand including four serving government ministers, three in the past one week.
Mnangagwa, broke his month-long annual leave to tell the nation his government has consulted countries developing the Covid vaccine for help, adding that the world’s most wanted drug will soon be delivered in the country.
He added, “Consultations are underway with the private sector to ensure we pool our efforts and resources for definitive national response.
“We will spare no effort, spare no resources to save the lives of Zimbabweans. We will spare no effort to protect our frontline staff who have served us remarkably well under very challenging conditions in these trying times.
“They are the heroes and heroines of our nation and should receive priority protection so they in turn protect you, me, all of us.
“Once we receive vaccine and it will be quiet soon, they will be the first ones to be inoculated.”
He said the country’s situation was very worrisome and threatened to become dire with deaths accelerating to a thousand out of more than 30 000 recorded cases.
Mnangagwa also said the country will ensure the vaccines to be introduced in the country will both be safe and effective.
He further urged the nation to take the country’s lockdown regulations seriously adding that his government was ready to deploy more law enforcement personnel to enforce the measures.
“Our law enforcement agencies are active, manning all key points. We are ready with more deployments and ready to prescribe stronger measures should that become necessary,” he said.
