Court rejects Covid-19 vaccine application

The High Court application by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU)for an order blocking companies from forcing their employees to undergo mandatory Covid-19 vaccination has been struck off the urgent cases roll. Justice Emilia Muchawa has ruled that the matter is not urgent and ‘cannot jump the queue’. New Zimbabwe reports that she said the ZCTU did not act swiftly when company notices were issued. ‘The certificate of urgency on record is silent on the delay in acting from around 22 July when all but one of the respondents issued their staff notices. It does not mention any dates relating to when the cause of action was complete and the need to act therefore arose,’ she said.

Parliament has banned anyone not vaccinated against Covid-19 from attending church services, the latest in a series of measure to boost the vaccination process. A report on the News24 site notes that it made the vaccine mandatory for civil servants and teachers this month. Getting vaccinated is also a prerequisite for trading in markets, working out at gyms, frequenting restaurants and sitting university exams. ‘With regards to churches, Cabinet has resolved that only vaccinated congregants can attend,’ said a statement issued after the Cabinet meeting. Just over 2.8m of Zimbabwe's 15m inhabitants have so far received a first vaccine dose.