President Museveni has said all schools and the whole economy will fully reopen in January next year whether people are vaccinated against COVID-19 or not.
Museveni first made the pronouncement in his address to the nation on October 28, and called on all Uganda to embrace vaccination.
Museveni reiterated his announcement in a televised address to the nation on Saturday, November 20 at State House, Nakasero.
“The schools, and the whole economy will be open in January 2022 whether some people are vaccinated or not. The vaccines are now here, please, go and be vaccinated. If you don’t go, we shall open the economy, and if you get into problems, don’t say the Government did not tell me,” he said.
Initially, Uganda was vaccinating priority groups that were at high risk of contracting COVID-19.
These included; health workers, teachers, security personnel, the elderly above 50 years, and those below 50 years but with comorbidities such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure among others.
On Saturday, Museveni told the nation that vaccines are now enough and called on all Ugandans aged 18 and above to go to the Health Centre IIIs and get the jab.
“Now that the vaccines are enough, the message is different. It is all those above the age of 18 years; come forward and be vaccinated. All the Health Centre IIIs will be having the vaccines,” he said.
Museveni ordered Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and District Medical Officers (DMOs) to use local radios in their respective districts, and call on people to go for vaccination.
“I command the RDCs and the District Medical Officers in each district to use the local radios to guide the vaccination efforts in the respective catchment areas of each Health Centre III.”
The RDCs and DMOs, he said, will guide which dates the people will come out to get vaccinated at the Health Centre III.
The RDCs and DMOs will have to first confirm the dates when vaccines will be available at the respective Health Centre IIIs before telling people to go for vaccination.
“I don’t want you to tell people to go to Health Centre IIIs to get vaccinated, and then vaccines are not there. If I get such a story, I will put you in jail.”
These, he said, should be assisted by Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and sub county chiefs to send out the messages.
Museveni disallowed vaccination teams to go to villages to vaccinate people, saying that it will increase the cost of vaccination.
He, however, said that vaccination teams should only go to the villages to vaccinate old persons who cannot move at all.
“Therefore, I direct the RDCs, the District Medical Officers, the Chief Administrative Officers and the Sub County Chiefs; through the radios, and through the courriers to ensure that all people of 18 years and above go to the Health Centre IIIs and be vaccinated when vaccines are available. The vaccines are there in the country, but we want to be sure that they are at the sub county,” said Museveni.
