Ugandan government threatens to reimpose Covid19 lockdown

ICT minister Judith Nabakooba has warned that government might be forced to reimpose a lockdown. 

Nabakooba is the minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT). 

Nabakooba said a strict lockdown might be imposed again if the public continues to ignore anti-Coronavirus guidelines. The guidelines were issued by the Ministry of Health. 

She said that, “I want to warn members of the public that unless we change and fully adopt the existing guidance on prevention of COVID-19, government may consider re-imposing strict lock down measures in order to prevent the country from slipping into a bigger outbreak.” 

Nabakooba noted that the country had country had followed the initial lockdown guidelines of March 18, 2020 diligently. This prevented a major outbreak of Covid-19 in the country. 

It was this success of the lockdown measure that encouraged government to begin a phased reopening of the country.  

“However, just after opening, the country has started to record an increase in community infections. The Ministry of Health tells us that clusters of community infections have started to emerge and these are now a bigger threat than even the truckers,” Nabakooba said.

She said, “The bigger concern for government at the moment is that community infections have started to rise and yet majority of the people no longer want to put into practice the existing guidelines of COVID-19.”

Nabakooba urged the traders and market leaders in markets to ensure order and social distancing are observed. She urged everyone not to forget to wear their face masks  when out in public. 

She warned parents and guardians to watch out for their children, especially teenagers. She said many of them who had not seen each other since schools were closed in March 2020 had started secretly meeting and socializing. She said this must stop. 

Health minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng was the first to sound the alarm that government might impose another lockdown. 

Dr Aceng made the comments as the country’s confirmed Coronavirus infections rose to 696. 

Thirty three districts in Uganda have confirmed cases of Coronavirus. 

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