Category: Information

February 11, 2021

FAQ Series: What is Covid-19?

The Coronavirus Disease, or Covd-19, was discovered in Wuhan, China in 2019. It is caused by a virus (SARS-CoV-2).

A virus is a tiny living thing that causes sickness by gaining access to host cells and then takes them over to multiply itself.

Covid-19 targets the cells of the respiratory or breathing system. It can affect your lungs and airways. Most people with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory (breathing) illness and recover without needing special treatment.

COVID-19 is called a pandemic because it is an infectious disease affecting different countries affecting and a large number of people.

February 7, 2021

FAQ Series: Why Doesn’t Everyone Get Sick?

Some people are asymptomatic. This means they have the coronavirus but their bodies are able to control the infection in a few days and they have mild or no symptoms.

Those who are at a higher risk of serious illness or death if they get infected by the coronavirus are usually called at-risk or vulnerable.

This includes people over 70 and those with underlying medical problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, cancer and recent organ transplants.

They should stay at home and avoid other people. Those with weak immune systems are also more at risk of serious illness.

Stress, a poor diet, not being able to absorb certain nutrients, drinking too much alcohol, tiredness, and a lack of rest can all weaken your immune system. You may be more easily exposed to the coronavirus when you are in this state. Don’t assume you are not at risk of a serious infection.

Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease also lead to a weaker immune system.

If you are close to vulnerable or at-risk individuals then always be responsible and take all precautions to avoid catching and spreading the virus.

February 7, 2021

FAQ Series: How Do I Catch the Virus?

Direct and indirect contact with someone with COVID-19 can spread the virus.

Direct contact is when you breathe in droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze through the air.

Direct and indirect contact with someone with COVID-19 can spread the virus. Direct contact is when you breathe in droplets from an infected person’s cough or sneeze through the air.

Indirect contact is when you touch something that the infected person has touched and it is spread to you.

That’s why cleaning regularly touched surfaces like door handles, light switches and so on is important.

January 3, 2021

Lockdown Statement

Fellow Zimbabweans, we have seen a surge in Covid 19 cases during this festive season with 1,342 Covid 19 cases and 29 deaths being recorded in a week representing the highest number recorded so far.

We have seen the number of Covid 19 cases and deaths almost double in 2 months from 8374 on 1 November to 14084 to date.

The cumulative number of Covid 19 cases in Zimbabwe as of 1 January 2021 is now 14084 cases and 369 deaths.

In view of the surge in covid 19 cases the Government has intensified testing and patient care throughout all the provinces.

In light of the recent surge in Covid 19 cases the following stiff lockdown measures are being put in place with immediate effect;

1. Gatherings are reduced to not more than 30 people at all funerals. All other gatherings at weddings, churches, bars, bottle stores, gymnasiums, restaurants etc etc are banned for 30 days.

2. The existing covid 19 preventive health measures will be strictly enforced that is to say correct wearing of face masks, social distancing, hand sanitization and temperature checks will be strictly enforced and offenders will be prosecuted.

3. Only essential services are to remain open such as hospitals, pharmacies and supermarkets, with only essential staff allowed to come to work. These services can only open at 8 am and must close at 3pm and will be subject to curfew that will start at 6pm and end at 6am.

4. Of the other commercial services only Part 4 lockdown order services such as mining, manufacturing and agriculture will operate as before. Other commercial services specified on Part 5 of the lockdown order that is to say all formal businesses and registered informal traders are suspended from Tuesday 5 January 2021 for 30 days.

5. Inter provincial and inter City transport services are restricted only to essential services and Part 4 commercial services.

6. People must stay at home save for buying food and medicines or transporting sick relatives. Other exceptions are as specified in the lockdown order.

7. As for schooling only examination classes are to open now.

8. Cross border traders are stopped forthwith save for commercial and transit cargo related to essential and critical services.

9. Air transportation remains unhindered and will continue as before with arrivals and returning residents being required to present Covid 19 free certificates. As for land access only returning residents and essential service drivers will be admitted subject to presentation of Covid 19 free certificates. These certificates must have been issued at least 48 hours before departure.

10. Just to be clear, restaurants, bottle stores and bars are closed for 30 days except for bars and restaurants serving hotel residents. Also, tourist facilities and national parks will operate as before subject to the usual health precautions.

January 3, 2021

Zimbabwe Lockdown – 2 Jan ’21 Update

Zimbabwe has seen a surge in covid -19 cases with 29 deaths registered in one week.

Gatherings at funerals have been reduced to no more than 30 people.
All other gatherings are banned for the next 30 days including churches, weddings, bars, bottlestores, gymnasiums, and restaurants.
(restaurants and bars serving hotel residents are exempted)

Covid-19 preventative measures will be enforced including:

Wearing face masks correctly
Social distancing
Hand washing / sanitisation
Temperature checks

Offenders will be prosecuted

Only essential services will remain open (8am – 3pm)
Everyone else must stay at home.
A curfew is in effect from 6pm – 6am
Intercity, and interprovincial transport services are restricted to essential services
Cross-border trade is suspended with the exception of
Commercial and transit cargo and essential services.
Air transportation remains unhindered and will continue
As before with arrivals and residents being required to
Present covid-19 free certificates issued 48 hours before departure.
Land border access will only be for returning residents and essential services drivers upon presentation of Covid-19 free certificates issued at least 48 hours before departure
All tourist facilities and national parks will operate as before subject to the usual health precautions.

Be smart. social distance – wear a mask – wash your hands

Read the Statement Here

November 21, 2020

Chairperson’s Words & Final Donor Update

Chairperson’s Update

Many global infectious disease experts are scratching their heads. How is it that certain African countries, Zimbabwe among them, are doing so well against the COVID 19 pandemic? It’s not superior ventilators, technology, facilities or funding, that’s for sure. Maybe it’s the weather, the BCG vaccine or a well exercised immune system, some muse.

I am not sure they will ever know, but we do. As we said in our very first communication, it’s the people.

At ZINCAT we saw an urgent need to help our people last April and banded together to make a difference; and we did!

We are proud of the work we have done in private quarantine centres, PCR and Rapid Testing, health care worker protection and support, our isolation facility, psychosocial support, and workplace consultations. While we see a resurgence of the virus in Europe, we see a waning in Zimbabwe. We also note with great joy the number of organisations that have stepped up to fill many of the voids in diagnosis and treatment that
existed just a few months ago.

We feel we have played our role. We have closed Baines and greatly curtailed our quarantine services and testing. We remain committed to being a credible source of information for the public alongside the relevant ministries. Our website and hotline remain active until the end of January. Our philosophy is that we will keep the embers aglow in case we
are needed to reignite, yet we also understand that we may have run our race and need to retire from the space.

Our staff and Trustees are deeply committed to seeing Zimbabweans thrive and succeed. We are all moving on to take up (or resume) the cause in new forms-be they working for disabled children at Silver Linings Trust, conservation with Malilangwe Trust, creating better urban spaces through Miracle Missions and INZI Foundation, building spaces for STEM for young people at The Discovereum, supporting young artists, recycling and ridding the city of waste (Miracle Missions). We hope you will continue to believe in Zim and be part of our efforts to improve the quality of life of our people. If you would like to contribute or learn more about these efforts, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at director.inzi@gmail.com

A fond farewell, and a heart full of gratitude for your support.

Thanks to you we saved lives, we were part of the success story of our country! Thank You!!

Nozipo Maraire M.D FAANS,
Chairperson, ZINCAT

Read the Donor Report Here

September 4, 2020

Government Update on Quarantine issued 4th September 2020

Further to the announcement:-

1. If you have no PCR results please expect to spend 2 nights in Quarantine.

2. Make a booking at your selected Quarantine Facility.

3. Through the Zincat clinical team, a PCR test on arrival will be arranged for you at the lodge

4. If you cannot safely isolate at home then we encourage to complete the full 14 day Quarantine period at a Quarantine lodge.

September 2, 2020

When to Get Tested

It is critical that employers take steps to keep workers and visitors safe by:

Making their workplaces as safe as possible if working from home is not possible
Ensuring that workers self-isolate if they have been asked to do so
Supporting their workers when in isolation

Although this may seem disruptive for businesses, it is less disruptive than an outbreak of COVID-19 in the workplace and far less disruptive than further social and economic restrictions.

Do I need a Rapid point of care antibody–based test?

For most patients, more severe symptoms develop 5-10 days after the first symptoms. Thus any data on test sensitivity generated in inpatients or patients presenting to emergency departments is not generalizable to employees with no or mild symptoms.

For this reason rapid antibody based tests should not be performed on a routine basis.

Why test employees and what test should be used?

The reasons for testing of symptomatic employees are:

To prevent the spread of the virus at the workplace and in the community
To help those who may develop moderate to severe COVD-19

The currently recommended test recommended by WHO consists of:

A nasopharyngeal swab
A pharyngeal swab
A nose swab

SARS-CoV-2 tests is only done if the result will change or help with decision-making.

Who should be tested?

Employees with the following symptoms should be offered testing:

Fever
Cough
Sneezing
Runny nose
Sore throat
Flu-like symptoms (fatigue, muscle ache, joint pains)
Shortness of breath
Chest pain

Loss of smell and/or taste is a clear indicator of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Any employee with these symptoms should be assumed Covid positive, therefore a test is not necessary.

Employees who have a household member with a confirmed positive SARS-CoV-2 test who have any of the above symptoms within 14 days of the household member testing positive should also be assumed to have the Covid infection. Those employees do not need a test for confirmation and should be instructed to self-isolate.

If the SARS-CoV-2 test is negative and the symptoms have subsided employees can return to work.

Those assumed Covid positive can return to work 10 days after symptom onset. Those with a positive PCR can return 10 days after the test was taken (if clinically fit to work).

Should I close the business or workplace?

Thorough and frequent cleaning is crucial for to prevent infection. A business does not need to be closed because an employee tests positive). Rather than temporarily shutting a business for deep cleaning, cleaning needs to be enhanced continuously and ensuring the correct equipment and disinfectant is used.

If however, there is an increased number of SAR-CoV-2 infections in a workplace, known as a cluster, screening of asymptomatic individuals may be considered to determine the extend of the problem. A review of the infection prevention and control procedures should be undertaken to investigate any breaches of procedures or transmission hotspots.

Tracking and Tracing contacts of employees who test positive for SARS-CoV-2

An employee is considered a significant SARS-CoV-2 contact if they answer “Yes” to all of the following details regarding the contact with a colleague who tested SARS-CoV-2 positive or is assumed SARS-CoV-2

Did you have:

QUESTIONS	YES	NO
Less than 15min of contact
Face-to-face contact
Contact at a distance of less than 1m
Contact in a closed room
Contact 2 days before or up to 10 days after the person tested positive for Covid or had suggestive symptoms?

If the employee answers “Yes” to all of these questions and both parties (the employee in questions and the employee infected with SARS-CoV-2) did not wear masks covering their noses, then the employee in question should be considered a moderate risk contact. They should be asked to quarantine for 14 days.