By: Ismael Kasooha
Kampala
The COVID-19 Task Force has met to review the status report and give guidance to the country on management of the Pandemic.
The task force recommended among others, the closure of the testing Laboratory located at Entebbe International Airport to give space for the planned expansion of the airport.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja chaired the meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala.
The COVID-19 Task Force implored Ugandans to embrace vaccination and get booster shots, for more effective control of the pandemic.
“Vaccination is good because it helps boost the body immunity even against other variants that could emerge in future. The people should not take vaccination as a joke,” said Jane Ruth Aceng, the minister for health.
She said that Uganda has not yet attained the 70% immunization coverage therefore the public must continue putting on masks until we attain the required numbers,” said Aceng.
She said that the masks had helped in prevention of many illnesses such as flues and cough which has led to a reduction of prevalence of such illnesses.
She however said that if people are in the open and have the required 2-meter distance apart they can remove their masks.
The Ministry of Health is racing against time to ensure the remaining vaccines are consumed before the expiry date.
A status report presented in the meeting indicated a marked fall in COVID-19 cases, signaling the containment of the pandemic.
“The world Health Organization is advising us that we need target on vaccination not testing because most countries are considering vaccination,” said Jane Ruth Aceng, the minister for health.
Other salient issues discussed included whether or not to close the COVID-19 testing Laboratory at Entebbe International Airport. It was resolved that this Laboratory be closed since testing at the Airport before departure was no longer a requirement.
The meeting also agreed that there is need for increased sensitization and engagement with the population about COVID-19.
The report about money collected from the public to support COVID-19 management, was deferred.
The Minister for Finance Matia Kasaija said a comprehensive report will be provided at a later date. Kasaija also guided on what business should do recover from the COVID-19 effects.
Much as the order to put on masks was lifted, the task force advised that the public should continue putting them on, until such a time when the country achieves the recommended 70 % of people vaccinated.
Cases of side effects of COVID-19 vaccination and other claims that the vaccines were brought to control population growth, have greatly affected vaccination uptake in the country.
Dr. Henry Kyobe, National Incident Manager for COVID-19 at Ministry of Health – Uganda says that government plans to vaccinate children from the age of 12-17 during the coming holidays to ensure the country is safe from COVID-19.
The Covid-19 National task force will meet next week to plan for the way forward.
Decreasing trend of weekly cases in the last 5 weeks in Uganda
| Epi week | No of new Cases | No of Deaths | Tests done | Testing capacity (%) | Positivity Rate (%) |
| July 3rd – July 9th | 415 | 6 | 14,242 | 32 | 2.9 |
| June 26th – July 2nd | 468 | 0 | 14,186 | 32 | 3.3 |
| June 19th – June 25th | 557 | 6 | 14,560 | 33 | 3.8 |
| June 12th – June 18th | 635 | 10 | 16,091 | 36 | 3.9 |
| June 5th – June 11th | 619 | 3 | 17,573 | 40 | 3.5 |
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