THE Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has written to government requesting authorities to draft the cereal producers and their workers among priority national personnel designated to access the Covid-19 vaccine ahead of the rest.
In a correspondence to the health ministry permanent secretary, GMAZ national chairman Tafadzwa Musarara said the sector has more than 15 000 employees.
Musarara said the national lockdown programme announced by government classified grain milling workers who had to continue working in order to sustain national food security as essential services.
Against that background, Musarara requested authorities to maintain the spirit when it comes to vaccinating workers eligible for the first doses of the much sough- after medicine.
Said the GMAZ chief, “We hereby apply for, and on behalf of, all our personnel to be regarded as essential service for purposes of Covid-19 vaccination and secure services of mobile vaccination clinics at our designated milling sites for convenience of our workers.
“We respectfully submit that it is in the national interest to grant us this application as grain milling workers would be protected and continue to undertake their duties to feed the nation.
“We hasten to advise that the duties will include moving grain from various storage/farming districts to mills and also delivering finished products to various and several retail shops nationwide, activities that will expose them to contracting the virus.”
Since the vaccination programme started, government designated sectors such as health staff, police, journalists, ports of entry workers among frontline personnel eligible to get the vaccine.