The government has ordered 90 per cent of its workers to stay at home from 21 January 2021 to 3 February 2021 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The directive affects all ministries, government departments and agencies except health workers, that is, those working under the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Those who can work from home have been directed to do so.
The development was confirmed by the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana on Wednesday evening. He said on Twitter:
From tomorrow 21 January 2021 to 3 February 2021, all Ministries, Govt Departments and Agencies (except for the Ministry Of Health and Child Care) will be operating with only 10% of its staff.
Those who can work from home will be doing that. This is likely to affect the service the public receives.
Mangwana, however, did not disclose the criteria to be used to determine those who will be reporting for duty and those who will work from home.
Escalating COVID-19 cases and deaths as well as the death of two ministers, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Retired Lieutenant General Sibusiso Moyo and Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Ellen Gwaradzimba – from COVID-19 within a week – seems to have awoken authorities to the reality of the grim reaper.
