By John Ogulei
SOROTI
At least a total of over 600,000 Ugandans who have received their first COVID-19 jab are to wait until August to get their Second COVID-19 jab, this website can confidently report.
According to Ministry of Health data a total number of 869, 915 Ugandans have received their first jab with only 57,797 (6.6%) receiving their second jab.
While addressing the Country on Friday night on the status of COViD-19 the Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni announced that, the country is faced with the challenge of COVID-19 jab and has directed that the newly received consignment be prioritized to those who have received their first dose and essential workers.
“We know that the ultimate solution to this Covid-19 challenge is to get our people vaccinated. To date, we have vaccinated a total of 869, 915 people, which accounts for 90.2% of the 964,000 doses received. Of these 57,797 (6.6%) have received both 1st and second dose,” PresidenT Museveni noted.
Adding that, “On 17th June 2021, we received another 175,200 doses and we are expecting additional 688,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in early August. I have directed that these doses be prioritized to give a second dose to those who have already got their first dose.”
President Museveni also added that “Government is working with Chinese embassy to bring in 300,000 doses of vaccines (Sinovac) and discussing modalities of acquisition of more doses through direct purchase. We are also in discussions with African Union on terms of acquisition of the Johnson and Johnson vaccines. The government will continue to explore all ways of fast tracking the acquisition of enough vaccines to vaccinate a critical mass of our population to ensure the country returns to normal operations.”
With the country receiving 175,200 doses it means that 636,918 people in Uganda will have to wait till early August when another additional consignment will arrive to the country.
The spike in COVID -19 cases and limited access to COVID-19 jab, President Museveni, through his health experts, has also decided to put the country into total lockdown for the next 42 days.
Uganda in the last 100 days has registered over 20,000 cases.
From March 2020 to date, the country has registered a total of 68,778 COVID-19 cases; with 973 patients (Severe 894, Critical 79) currently on active admission at both private and public treatment facilities across the country, and a total deaths to 542.
“To all of you Countrymen and Women, these are urgent and temporary, but extraordinary measures, which we as the Nation must jointly and fully embrace to protect and preserve our lives, our ways of life, the way we live, and our future. It is only through these measures that we shall in a long run protect our economy, preserve our democracy and sustain the NRM revolution,” Museveni Said.
Among the measures imposed by the President Museveni in the next 42 days include among others; all cargo trucks, and pick-up will be allowed to travel within and cross-boundary districts with a maximum of two persons including the driver. Public, private vehicles or boda-boda will only move to transport the ill (of whatever illness) on authentication and availability of evidence from either LC, RDC or a competent health facility, All cross-boundary district and intra-district movement of public transport, and by private vehicles, or boda-bodas is hereby suspended for 42 days. No movement of Public and private vehicles. Except where they may carry patients, Boda-bodas will NOT be allowed to carry any passengers but only carry merchandise within the same district with exception for boda-boda movements within and across the Kampala/Wakiso/Mukono Metropolitan complex.
The President also imposed 07:00PM to 05:00AM curfew with Boda-Bodas allowed to move only up to 05:00PM.
Other restrictions include Food Market Venders should revert to the Presidential Directive of March 2020 to stay in their places of work. Kikuubo and other Business Centres should be closed, and the situation reverts to the Presidential Directive of March 2020. All schools and institutions of learning remain closed for 42 days. Bars, Discos, Sports Betting, and Cinema Halls: KCCA, URA and Local Government authorities are directed to close and seal off all the bars.
The head of state also directed all places of worship and sports events to remain suspended for 42 days and Non-cargo cross-border movement, except for licensed tourist vehicles, is hereby suspended for the next 42 days.
The President on the other hand has implored the RDC and DPC to ensure that all SOPs are observed and not more than 20 people attend burial.
“Across the country, the RDCs working with the CAOs & DHOs are directed to make all the necessary arrangements to ensure all individuals that require medical care & medical evacuation in their respective districts, COVID-19 or otherwise are taken care of,” President Museveni Directed.
Other measures also include; only registered tourists’ vehicles will be allowed to move. These should move directly to their destinations and designated places. Emergency vehicles, police and army vehicles, and essential workers vehicles will be allowed to move. Among the Essential Health workers include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, veterinary doctors, and other essential health staff. Essential workers will be given specific identification. Entebbe International Airport will remain open, No virus, or new variants to enter Uganda. All cargo movements to and out of Uganda will be allowed without any disruption.
Cargo truck drivers at land-border crossings will be tested and allowed to move and be followed up at the designated Seclusion Areas and holding places. Further reduction to 10% in Non-core Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). The Rt Hon Prime Minister working with the Ministry of Public Service and the Ministry of Health will re-define the Non-Core MDA. Where camping is not possible, the factory owners should work together with the Technical Committee to agree on a safe alternative to enable factory activities to continue safely during the lockdown period.
