Zimbabwe reopening bars for vaccinated patrons only

Zimbabwe’s government is allowing bars to reopen for the first time in more than 18 months, but only to citizens who are fully vaccinated, the Associated Press reported.

Zimbabwe’s Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the decision to reopen bars and nightclubs was due to concern of the loss of income and unemployment from the continued closures, resulting in the growth of illegal outlets, according to the AP.

Prior to the move, alcohol sales in the African nation were limited to supermarkets, small retail liquor stores, restaurants, and hotels.

Mutsvangwa said that bars and nightclubs would still have to close at 7 p.m., the same time as all other nonessential businesses, according to the AP. 

Zimbabwe closed all bars and nightclubs in March 2020 as a part of restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 and has ignored pleas from business owners to ease restrictions, the AP reported. 

Zimbabwe is one of the few African countries that are using vaccine mandates in an attempt to push a population that is hesitant on getting vaccinated, the AP reported.  

More than 15 percent of Zimbabwe citizens are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which is 4 percent above the overall continent rate but is far from the government’s goal of 60 percent. 

According to government data, Zimbabwe has recorded 131,335 COVID infections and 4,629 COVID-related deaths as of Wednesday, the AP noted.