The government has given frontline workers a two week ultimatum to get vaccinated threatening that those who will test positive to COVID-19 after the 14 July 2021 will not be compensated.
Speaking during the post cabinet media briefing yesterday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Monica Mutsvangwa said a considerable number of frontline workers (20%) have still not presented themselves for vaccination.
“Given the risk this poses not only to other workers but also to patients, Cabinet has set 14 July 2021 as the deadline for the vaccination of the frontline workers,” said Mutsvangwa.
Mutsvangwa said unvaccinated health workers who contract Covid-19 in the line of duty after July 14 will no longer receive special compensation which the government has been paying those affected.
The government had been paying US$1 000 and US$600 depending on grade for each health worker who falls sick but now those who remain unvaccinated are considered a health threat to colleagues and patients.
Of the 4 444 health workers so far infected, 432 have already received their payouts.
The Health Services Board (HSB) has approved the payments to another 2 196 with allocated funds, enough to cover about 1 367 workers.
Meanwhile, the government has procured two million COVID-19 vaccines from China which will be received by end of this week.
