President Museveni a week ago extended Uganda’s lockdown period for another 21 days.
The President noted that although only 55 samples have tested positive out of over 5,664 samples tested, it is too early to rule that Uganda is not free from the deadly virus.
“It is safer to go another 21 days than to stop prematurely. If there is anything it will come up during these 21 days. If it does not come up, we will say we tried our best. The 54 found positive might not be the only ones. The way they were found was tedious, so the lockdown extension is justified so we can find more and treat them,” he said.
However, health experts in Uganda have said that the country’s lockdown will be lifted gradually.
According to the scientists, the lockdown cannot be lifted at once because a series of arrangements need to be in place to make sure that the country’s health system and other sectors have measures to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
Prof Rhoda Wanyenze, the Chair of the Epidemiology Surveillance Committee says that the lockdown will be lifted slowly, starting with some sectors and even age groups. She says that older persons might be the last to be accepted to go back to work since they are more susceptible to being infected with the disease.
She says the lifting of the lockdown depends on how prepared Uganda is to carry out surveillance, contact tracing, testing and isolating the sick.
Prof Wanyenze says government would have to consider how safe workplaces are, transport means and markets before the lockdown can be lifted.
The minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng says the lockdown is one of country’s measures to control the spread of COVID-19 and should be respected.
