Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Two teachers have succumbed to COVID-19 while no pupil has died of the disease since the reopening of schools this term across the country.
This was revealed by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Paul Mavima while addressing National Social Security Authority (NSSA) pensioners’ representatives during an engagement forum held in Gweru on Thursday. Mavima said:
There was a spike in COVID-19 cases in schools soon after reopening. The spike was associated with schools reopening but Government could not close the schools forever.
They had to open at some time and so the Government relaxed COVID-19 lockdown induced rules and regulations.
One or two teachers lost their life’s due to this virus but we are glad that we haven’t lost a child in the school environment.
We can’t celebrate the loss of lives because all the lives matter but Government is doing all it can to mitigate against the spread of the virus in and outside schools.
He said as winter approaches- measures should be put in place to protect the learners and teachers in the schools.
Schools opened for the first term of the year on 15 March, more than two months after the original date due to the second wave of the coronavirus which hit the country soon after the festive season.
