This year’s World Aids Day celebrations will be held in accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for COVID-19, with a smaller audience compared to prior years. BY VANESSA GONYE World Aids Day is celebrated every first day of December often with large crowds commemorating the global annual event. Addressing journalists in Macheke yesterday, National Aids Council spokesperson Madeline Dube said this year’s activities were affected by COVID-19, which has wreaked havoc for the past 10 months. “This year’s event will be held in Harare at the Rainbow Towers although it was supposed to be held in Mashonaland West. Other organisations are encourage to commemorate the day after the main celebrations that will be held on December 1,” she said. Dube said as per COVID-19 regulations, which restrict gatherings to 100 people or less, the annual commemorations will be held in groups of 100. “The event will be held in groups of 100 and we are still trying to see how we can align this in accordance with WHO recommendations on COVID-19,” she said. Zimbabwe is currently grappling with a second wave of the deadly COVID-19 with high numbers of positive cases being witnessed daily for the past two weeks. Vice-President and Health minister Constantino Chiwenga will be the guest of honour at this year’s main celebrations which will be held under the theme Global Solidarity Shared Responsibility.
