In his speech a few hours back, His Excellency the President Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi shared with the nation how his government plans to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Below are some of the measures which the president outlined;
- All public gatherings are to be suspended. These include kgotla meetings , memorial services, weddings, and weddings.
- The number of people at religious gatherings and church services to remain at a maximum of fifty (50) and such gatherings and services be held only twice a week.
3.Funerals be conducted within a period of five (5) days from date of death - Inter-zonal movement to be restricted to essential travel only
- Reopening of schools to be delayed for a further three (3) weeks, except for those students preparing for their final examinations.
- The ban on sale of alcohol remains
- Curfew times to start at 8 pm and end at 4am for the next three (3) weeks after which there will be a review.
These are to take effect from Monday 16 August 2021 for three weeks time.
As regards to vaccines, the president has mentioned a number of consignments which the government is expecting from different sources. The consignments which the president outlined amount to more than Two million (2 million) doses.
The consignments which President Masisi promised the nation on his speech, are as follows;
- One million, one hundred and thirty seven thousand, six hundred and fifty four (1,137, 654) doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
- One hundred thousand (100 000) doses of the Covaxin vaccine.
- Eighty one thousand, nine hundred (81 900) doses of the Pfizer vaccine from the COVAX facility as a donation from the government of the United States of America (USA).
- Five hundred thousand (500 000) doses of the Moderna vaccine.
- Three hundred and sixty one thousand, two hundred (361 200) doses of the Sinovac vaccine.
- One hundred thousand (100,000) doses of the COVAXIN vaccine reserved from Bharat in India. Expected between August and September 2021.
- Heads of terms recently signedwith Pfizer for 2 million doses, and agreement to soon be concluded.
President Masisi has assured the nation that most of these vaccines are expected to arrive between August and December 2021. During the three (3) weeks period from the upcoming Monday, the vaccination programme is expected to be accelerated.
Though he mentioned the shortage of hospital beds, shortage of oxygen, and shortage of health personnel in public health facilities, the president did not explain exactly what is being done to address the issue.
