President Yoweri Museveni is expected this evening, to address the nation on the way forward, after 34 days of national shut down over the Covidl9 global pandemic.
“I will address the country tonight at 8pm, guiding on the way forward as the 21-day lockdown extension comes to a close tomorrow,” Museveni announced this morning
“I urge you all to continue observing the guidelines from our health experts as the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic continues.”
The lockdown was originally set to run until May 5, and a decision on its ease, extension or not, will likely depend on results from community tests of 20,000 Ugandans that was launched early in the week. So far only 3 people have tested positive out of the 1752 community tests done in the past four days.
Uganda’s health minister Dr Ruth Aceng and Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine have just completed a tour of the country’s northern and western borders, another area of concern as are the truck drivers. Of Uganda’s current 89 confirmed cases, 30 have been truck drivers in the past fortnight.
“The markets, private and public transport… those we are discussing on how we can start easing the lockdown on them. [But] We need a comprehensive plan if we are to open schools. In some districts nearly half of the children in the schools are from neigbouring districts and countries. Uganda is an education hub, from university, tertiary. secondary to primary,” she said in Kisoro on Saturday.
Schools were closed in March, 2020 on the directives of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as one of the preventive measures against the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The president later declared a total lockdown which many think could be relaxed on May 5th.
However, there have been reports indicating that the president might extend the lockdown for a few more days.
According to reports, the Cabinet sitting at State House Entebbe last week advised the president to extend the lockdown for another fortnight.
The Ministry of Health early last week launched a rapid survey which will guide on lifting the Coronavirus COVID -19 lockdown. The survey will estimate the community prevalence of the virus.
According to Dr. Aceng, this survey will involve a representative population of truckers and communities along their routes, health workers, market vendors, fishing communities, Taxi drivers, LDUs and religious leaders.
She said the survey is necessary because recently truck drivers who tested positive with COVID -19 traveled through the country and yet not all contacts of the initial patients that have since been treated were tested in time.
Dr. Aceng said it’s better to do this assessment now when the lockdown is still on with less population movements. She says about 20,000 Ugandans will be asked brief information about themselves and then blood and a nasopharyngeal swab will be collected to test for COVID -19.
