NEW COVID-19 DIRECTIVES – UGANDA

THE COVID-19 RESOLUTIONS AS STATED ON 6^TH JUNE 2021

Following the current COVID-19 surge in the Uganda population, this has prompted the government of Uganda, through the president of Uganda HIS Yoweri Katuga Museveni. To uphold new COVID-19 resolutions to manage the high surge of the virus.

Currently the COVID-19 cases are increasing in Uganda, with 1259 new cases as recorded by the ministry of health on 4^th June 2021. 374 cumulative deaths, 43,487 recoveries 634 active cases in hospitals. The resurge is reported to be caused by the poor observance of the standard operation procedures.

On 6^th June 2021, the president of Uganda held a speech on the current COVID-19 situation in Uganda, and the new presidential directives were listed that are to be followed.

These were as follows.

• All schools and institutions of higher learning to close for 42 days effective 8am, 7^th June 2021.
• All teachers to fully get vaccinated before they are accepted in schools.
• Communal prayers in mosques, churches or in a stadium and other open air venues are suspended for 42 days.
• Online prayers are encouraged
• Public and cultural gatherings or conferences , Except for the sitting of the cabinet , legislature and judiciary are hereby suspended for 42 days
• Travel from category 1 countries as defined by the ministry of Health remain suspended, except returning Ugandans. At the moment only India is listed as category A
• Agricultural activities which are : cultivating or ploughing gardens, herding livestock(whether free range or zero grazing) and fishing for fish farming to continue because , fortunately most of them don’t encourage crowding.
• The nonagricultural activities that will be allowed to continue are factory activities, that will be allowed to continue are factory activities, construction activities shopping malls, super-markets to continue while observing SOPS issued by the ministry of health.
• These gatherings points such as factories hotels, large plantation, markets, taxi parks etc should be allowed to operate under strict observance of SOPs.
• These must observe strict SOP, failure to comply within a week will lead to complete closure
• Marriage ceremonies, parties and all other social gatherings are only allowed with a maximum of 20 people under strict observance of SOPs
• House parties are strictly banned and this must be enforced without fail
• All guest should wear masks and keep physical distance
• Number of persons at burials, vigils and funerals shouldn’t exceed 20 people, all should wear masks and social distance
• Weekly nonfood markets(Mibuula markets) are suspended for 42 days throughout the country
• Also suspended for 42 days are the monthly cattle auctions markets ebikomera
• All public transport (Buses, Taxis, Boda Bodas) between and across districts are suspended for 42 days effective 10^th June 2021. This is to allow our children to go home
• All inter districts travel banned except travel within Kampala metropolitan (Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono)
• Exemption for inter district travel and movement are cargo trucks, registered tourists vehicles and essential and emergency service vehicles
• Public transport within the same districts is allowed with strict observance of SOPs as previously described , Failure to strictly observe the SOPs in the public transport sector will lead to total suspension of public transport
• Cargo trucks are allowed with only 2 people
• Tourists vehicle must observe the SOP’S as spell out
• Bars, discos , music shows , cinemas and concerts remain closed
• Sport event will operate under strict observance of SOPs with no spectators , All players must have a negative PCR test
• All public places (markets , offices, shopping malls) are directed to maintain strict hygiene, ensure people coming in are sanitized before entry , physical distancing and appropriate use of Face masks at all times
• Encourage people to work from home whenever possible and revert to 30% physical presence at work place for 42 days
• Institutions , organization and workplaces to have persons dedicated to compliance
• Private vehicles should be restricted not to more than 3 people including the driver
• Ambulances , security vehicles and garbage collection vehicles are allowed to operate normally
• Shopping arcades, hard ware shops and any other commercial entity to operate under strict observance of SOPs and must close at 7pm country wide. Failure to comply will lead to total closure. Owners and managers will be held liable for breach of SOPS
• Exception be given to Pharmacies to operate beyond 7 pm
• Supermarkets will remain open and operate with strict observance of SOPs and close at 7pm, owners must enforce the use of masks and sanitizers in the workplace at all times
• The food markets should continue operating but enforce SOPs. The market leaders will be held liable for non –compliance to SOPs.
• Lodges should be allowed to operate but the bars in these places should not be operational
• Factories are allowed to continue operating under strict observance of SOPs and where need arises work in shifts
• Construction sites are allowed to continue under strict observance of SOPs
• Lorries should not have more than two persons
• Private cars are allowed to cross the border provided they observe SOPs and occupants have a negative PRC test result
• Curfew shall remain at 21:00 HRS to 5:30HRS and vigorously enforced except for cargo trucks, lorries, pickups , trains and aircrafts
• For health emergences during curfew, this will be dealt with by security on case by case basis
• Boda Bodas are allowed to transport goods and or one passenger up to 6pm for the next 42 days, failure to comply within one week will lead to complete closure.
• The violation of the above measures would lead to fines that will be given out soon in a statutory instrument signed by the permanent secretary (PS) Treasury.

MORE CLARIFICATION;

The above directives where addressed by the president of H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on 6^th June 2021. The president communicated about the ongoing vaccination of the Uganda population. It was stated that there has been vaccination of 748,676 people with 712,681 people with the first dose of AstraZeneca and 35995 people with the 2^nd dose of the vaccine out of the total 964000 vaccines donation.

The president highlighted the government efforts in the vaccination system. He mentioned, the government is committed to vaccine a total number of 21.9 million Ugandans starting with the groups of 4.8 million Ugandans. These include health workers, elderly, security personal, teachers and people with disease which are cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes heart and liver disease.

The maintain  of the resurge of COVID-19 by the government is still on going, through the encouragement of vaccination of the general public, treatment of the infected people and enforcing the observance of the standard operating procedures. With those followed by the general public and enforcement of the government, the maintenance and limit of the spread of the virus will be handled.