President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said that Ugandans who have not received their first dose of covid19 should wait until August when 688,000 doses will be imported. He has directed that vaccination current vaccination should be to priotised for only Ugandans who are taking their second dose.
“I have directed that available doses be prioritized to give second dose to those who have already got their first dose. 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,” Museveni said.
He was speaking Friday night as he provided an update on the Covid19 situation. Mr Museveni reintroduced sweeping restrictions that will last 42 days; including a ban of public transport, closure of Uganda’s business hub Kikuubo among others.
Figures
He saidto date, the country has registered a total of 68,778COVID-19 cases; where 973 patients (Severe 894 and 79 Critical) who are being treated in private and public treatment centres. 42 deaths were reported on Friday bringing the total deaths to 542.
Over the past 3 weeks, the daily number of people testing positive has increased from less than 100 to now over 1,700, representing a 17 fold increase in daily cases and that since his last address three weeks ago infections have spread to 108 districts up from 61.
Museveni said that the despite the rapid escalation of the outbreak, the hospitalization rates have remained low, and dropping from 12 to 8% over the past weeks as in the table above.
The current national daily oxygen consumption, he said, stands at 3,000 cylinders per day, where each cylinder is 6,800 liters but that demand is expected to surge to 25,800 cylinders per day in one month, unless we change the course.
“This is nearly a 9 -fold increase in the overall national oxygen requirement,” Museveni said.
He said the current hospital beds to manage COVID-19 patients stand at 3,793.At the time of his address,a total of 869, 915 people had received jabs and out of them 57,797 had completed their dose. On June 2021, another 175,200 doses were imported, but these he said will go to those receiving the second dose.
Restrictions
To cushion the health systems and sustain economic lives and save he said that government will work within 42 days to curb the transmission and increase oxygen supplies.
Public transport was halted with immediate effect save for the sick and cargo transport. Only registered tourists’ vehicles will be allowed to move. These should move directly to their destinations and designated places.
Curfew time throughout the country has been pulled back from 1900Hrs to 0530 Hrs and Boda-Bodas will only be allowed to move only up to 1700Hrs.
Food Market Venders should stay in their places of work and Kikuubo and other Business Centres should be closed. These include nonfood markets including markets such as St. Balikuddembe and other mobile markets.
Burials will be restricted to the core family as applied in the military.
KCCA, URA and Local Government authorities were directed to close and seal off all the bars with Police ordered to arrest and charge with hefty fines imposed for reopening.
Museveni ordered for further reduction to 10% of staff in Non-core Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), working together with the Technical Intersectoral Committee under Maj Gen Robert Rusoke were directed to closely monitor the compliance and enforcement of these directives.
“Except where specifically stated, all these measures take immediate effect and will last 42 days when I will make subsequent revision,” Museveni ordered.
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