The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana has called for a no-touch-policy in local supermarkets as a measure to curb the spread of COVID-19,
COVID-19 has to date claimed more than 700 lives from the over 27 000 infected by the deadly pandemic.
Posting on Twitter, Mangwana said to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, it would be ideal for supermarkets not to allow customers to handle food items which they are not buying.
“It is not good for health especially during the current covid-19 crisis, for people to squeeze fruits to check firmness and put them back on shelves, as this has the capacity to transmit the virus from one’s hands to the item,”
“Some supermarkets in other countries have introduced a “no touch policy. This entails a shopper only touch what they are going to buy. It’s some kind of “touch is a move”. Then we have those who want to squeeze fruits to check for firmness. Come on guys, not in this Covid Era,” he said.
Government has allowed only supermarkets and essential services to operate during the month-long national lockdown which started on the 5th of January.
A snap survey by 263Chat revealed that some supermarkets have already put restrictions on customers touching especially fruit and vegetable items.
A local supermarket in Ruwa named Budget said it no longer allowed people to touch items they do not intent to buy.
The Manager, Witness Magorimbo said the move protects clients and workers as it minimizes exposure to the virus.
“There are people who are just used to touch and leave stuff that they don’t even purchase. We are past that stage because of COVID-19. We should think of the next person when we are purchasing our groceries so that everyone is safe at the end of the day,”said Magorimbo.
He encouraged people to continue sanitizing and observing social distance when buying groceries in supermarkets to protect themselves and the next person.
Meanwhile, local food vendors continue to defy the government imposed lockdown and have since found their way back into Harare Central Business District where they sell fruits and vegetables.
A vendors initiative, the Zimbabwe Informal Sectors Organization (ZISO) has since demanded that Vice-President and Health and Child Care minister Constantino Chiwenga allow all goods and service providers to operate subject to prescribed precautionary measures such as wearing of masks, gloves, using sanitizers, maintaining social distancing and temperature checks.
Led by its executive director Promise Mkwananzi, ZISO has since filed papers at the High CourtNchallenging the constitutionality of the recently imposed 30-day lockdown by government.
