Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has temporarily closed its Chisankho House head office in Blantyre following 23 reported cases of Covid-19 among its staff.
In a statement issued yesterday, MEC chief elections officer Sam Alfandika said the temporary closure is meant to contain the further spread of the pandemic within the institution.
He said the office will be closed up to February 5.
Said Alfandika: “Take notice that in view of this development all staff will be working from home during this period. Mandatory Covid-19 tests will be arranged on February 3 and 4 2021 to enable staff check their status before returning to work on February 8 2021.”
However, he said sale of bid documents will continue and payments will still have to be made using MEC’s FDH Bank operations account.
The statement further indicates that while closing date for the purchase and submission of tender documents remains the same, proof of payment must be made electronically using the institution’s electronic mail.
Alfandika also stated that while the head office will be closed, MEC district offices will remain open throughout the period.
“The commission is reminding all its stakeholders to take personal responsibility in preventing the spread of the corona virus by observing preventive measures. Always remember, we are not safe until each one of us is safe,” further reads the statement.
In recent weeks, some institutions have closed their office for disinfection following reported cases among staff while others have resorted to working in shifts and or from home to decongest workplaces.
Since mid-December, numbers of new Covid-19 cases have been increasing, with the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 co-chairperson Dr John Phuka saying this has brought panic among the citizenry.
In a statement on Sunday, he cautioned against the use of home remedies to treat Covid-19 patients, urging people to rush to the hospital when symptoms develop for assessment to determine the severity of disease and course of management
