By Priscah Atuhaire.
The Minister of Health Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has cautioned Ugandans not to feel much excitement over the lifting of lockdown restrictions that are soon starting but rather to rethink about the possibilities in the increase of COVID-19 infections.
Dr Aceng’s warning comes barely a week after president Yoweri Museveni announced measures to ease the lockdown with-effect from next week, allowing private vehicles to move and a number of businesses to open after two months of lockdown.
She pointed out the possibility for the virus stealthily surge ans setting off another wave of infection when no extra carefulness is observed by the members of the public during the ease period.
Apparently, Public health experts across the world have long reminded that opening up shops and releasing citizens from their homes could be more difficult and dangerous than shutting them in.
Almost every social media post reflects the eagerness the public has towards easing the lockdown.
Dr Aceng, however, emphasizes that the public should not relax and think that easing restrictions is a sign of progress in handling the deadly pandemic, and adds that if people do not adhere to social-distancing guidelines and other protective measures, the excitement will be short-lived.
She adds that the burden of COVID is not yet going down, yet Africa is predicted to be the next epicentre of the virus according to models released by international health organization’s and experts.
“We cannot afford to go the way that many other countries went. We cannot afford to have the scenarios that are happening in the US, Italy and France here in Uganda because if that happens it would be a disaster; first, we don’t have the systems they have, two; we don’t have the capacity and three we must keep alive, nobody should die, nobody wants to die and we are not prepared to die!”
