Takudzwa Changadeya

Government, through the Ministry of Health and Child Care, has put into law new regulations to contain the spread of coronavirus during the level two extended lockdown.

The new law, Statutory Instrument (SI)99 of 2020 revealed as the Public Health (COVID-19 Prevention, Containment, and Treatment), is comprised of new regulations that will be enforced by the national security forces to curb the spreading of COVID-19 from the 4th to the 17th of April 2020.

Below is the summary of the key regulations in the SI (99) 2020:

-Every individual who by this order is permitted to leave his or her home or to be in any public space must wear a face mask.

-Every vehicle used by the transport service must be
disinfected against COVID-19 by or at the direction of an enforcement officer at least twice daily.

-Every individual must be temperature-tested and have
his or her hands sanitized before being allowed to
board any vehicle used by the transport service in
question.

-Every individual in or about a vehicle used for a
transport service must observe the social distancing
rule.

-No gathering of more than two individuals.

-Only businesses in the formal commercials and industry sectors are all allowed to operate.

• Persons operating or employed in a business or industry in
  the formal commercial and industrial sector shall be regarded as persons employed in an essential service.

-Except for good cause shown to an enforcement officer
a business in the formal commercial and industrial sector must open for business no earlier than 0800 hours and close no later
than 1500 hours.

-If any question arises whether any business in the
the commercial and industrial sector is formal or not, the person
purporting that the business or industry is formal shall have the
the burden of proving, to the satisfaction of an enforcement officer, that the business is formal.

-Persons deemed or purporting to be employers or
employees of, or engaged in, an essential service for the purpose
of this Part shall comply with any direction of an enforcement
officer—
(a) to submit to screening and testing for the COVID-19
disease;
(b) at all times to observe the social distancing rule at
the workplace, to wear protective masks and to make
available for use by employees and other persons
hand sanitising liquid;
(c) to disperse and return home where any business
or industry is not found to be a formal business or
industry.

-Any enforcement officer shall at any time during normal
working hours have the right of access to any land or premises
where exempted persons are present or employed to ensure that
the appropriate provisions of this order are being complied with.

-Any person who fails to comply with an order of an
enforcement officer given under this section, or who hinders or
obstructs an enforcement officer from having the access referred to
in subsection (6), shall be guilty of an offense and liable to fine
not exceeding level twelve or to imprisonment for a period not
exceeding one year to both such fine and such imprisonment.