As of now, Uganda has not recorded any Coronavirus infection but government has taken precaution. Today evening, President Yoweri Museveni has addressed the country about the Coronavirus pandemic and issued a number of directives that should be taken into consideration with immediate effect.
With effective Friday March 20, 2020 at midday, all primary schools, secondary schools and universities will close for a period of 32 days.
All congregation prayers are suspended with immediate effect, and the President has directed religious leaders to conduct prayers from homes or using media channels like radio and television channels.
“Prayers will continue to go on, but at home. Religious leaders can use the radio and TV stations to preach,” Museveni said.
Ugandans coming back from abroad are allowed into the country, but will be put under mandatory institutional quarantine.
“We cannot stop Ugandans from foreign countries to come back home. However, if they come back, they will be put in mandatory quarantine for 14 days, and they will pay the costs of the quarantine,” Museveni added.
All political gatherings, agricultural markets, weddings, discos concerts, all forms of merrymaking that draw in crowds have been banned by the President for 32 days. For weddings, the President has advised couples that want to wed so bad to do so with the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for it does not require more than 10 people to be around.
When it comes to funerals, the President has directed they be conducted by only a few relatives of the deceased, but, “If a person is suspected of having died of Coronavirus, the State will take over the funeral, the way we (government) did with Ebola victims,”
Travelling in public transport should be avoided, unless it is absolutely necessary. Non-Ugandans are allowed to travel back to their countries if they choose to.
“Uganda is ready. We have isolation centres, we have had testing kits since Ebola days, some companies are going to start producing face masks and sanitizers and there is talk of treatment using the old chloroquine,” the President assured Ugandans.
Basic personal hygiene practices like washing hands and avoiding sneezing in public have been emphasized by the President as well.