By OLIVER SAMBOKO
A TOURISM expert has suggested making covid19 vaccination mandatory for all workers in the sector and hospitality industry to safeguard jobs and lives.
Tourism expert Rose Musonda has urged government to make Covid 19 vaccination mandatory for all workers in the tourism and Hospitality industry to safeguard jobs and lives.
Ms Musonda said mandatory vaccination of workers in the sector will not only help save lives of tourists and the workers but also put the country as a safe destination for international visitors.
She said the sharp upturn in new coronavirus infections due to the highly contagious variants, calls for government to take decisions that will not only protect the citizens but also the country’s economy. Ms Musonda said the workers in the tourism and hospitality industry were one of the most high-risk groups that should be protected by way of receiving the free covid jab being provided by government.
She said there is also need for Government to make it mandatory for local tourists to have a negative covid test, before they are allowed to access tour sites and hotel facilities.
Ms Musonda said while some hotel owners have already taken it upon themselves to compel all their workers to get vaccinated against Covid 19, this should not be left up to individual hotels but instead should be made mandatory for all players in the sector.
She said the country should take a leaf from neighboring countries like Zimbabwe that have taken measures aimed at ensuring that the pandemic does not cripple the economy like the case with the first wave.
In Zimbabwe all unvaccinated government workers will now be barred from boarding Public Service Commission (PSC) buses while all government departments have been ordered to further decongest workplaces and operate with a staff complement of 10% as Government moves to introduce mandatory vaccination in the country.
