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THE increase in Covid-19 infections in the month of January is a reminder that we are not yet out of the woods hence the need to vaccinate against the virus.

There must also be strict adherence to the Covid-19 protocols to avoid the spread of the virus.

According to reports, 17 people succumbed to the virus in January while new infections more than doubled from 809 cases recorded in December to the present 1 923.

Our sister paper Sunday News reported on Sunday that since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, Zimbabwe has recorded 262 129 cases, including 255 181 recoveries and 5 656 deaths.

The recovery rate stands at 97 percent, with 1 292 cases now.

We therefore, urge Zimbabweans yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to report to their nearest vaccination centres while also encouraging those who haven’t received all the doses to make sure they do.

The virus swept across the globe claiming millions of lives while causing severe disruptions that affected economies that are still reeling from its shocks.

It is against this background that all eligible persons should get vaccinated against Covid-19 to avoid the crisis the virus caused.

Chief co-ordinator for the National Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic in the Office of the President and Cabinet Dr Agnes Mahomva said the country has enough vaccines for all those eligible for immunisation.

Dr Agnes Mahomva

“We are observing an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases. As Government, our message hasn’t changed, we continue to urge people to get vaccinated as that is the only effective way to safeguard ourselves from this pandemic.”

She called for vigilance and adherence to the prevention regulations such as handwashing, wearing of face coverings and social distancing. Government, she said, will tighten screening at all ports of entry.

“Genomic sequencing is ongoing at the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory, and to date, no new variants have been detected. Government continues to assess and monitor the situation on the ground daily, guided by both local and global data to provide timely and science-driven adjustments to the national response, where necessary,” she said.

Dr Mahomva said there was no immediate spike in new infections during the festive season because of public health and social measures put in place to protect the public.

“Government also strengthened its case management systems by ensuring health facilities have adequate oxygen supplies and the medicines required for supportive care of identified positive cases requiring treatment.

“This was mostly motivated by the fact that a lot of returning residents and some visitors were expected to travel back to Zimbabwe in large numbers, with some coming from countries experiencing an increase in the number of daily new cases,” she said.