KAMPALA- President Yoweri Museveni will address the nation on Tuesday, July 21, State House has said.
Senior Presidential Press Secretary Don Wanyama revealed through his Twitter that the Museveni will address the nation concerning the COVID-19 situation in the country.
“His Excellency @KagutaMuseveni is expected to address the country on Tuesday, July 21st, on the #COVID19 pandemic situation in the country and related issues. Time is 8pm ,live on all radios and TVs,” he said.
The president is expected to give a green light on the reopening of arcades as 48 arcades were allowed to operate on a pilot basid after they met the Standard Operating Procedures.
However in his last address,the president maintained that it would be difficult to observe social distance when arcades are allowed to operate.
The President is also expected to announce further lifting of the lockdown such as allowing boda bodas to carry passengers, reopening of salons churches, bars,schools among others.
However, astudy by scientists at Makerere University College of Natural Sciences in June recommended that government extends the Covid-19 lockdown up to October.
The scientists said rushing to release more than 75 per cent of the population from lockdown before the said time would cost the country more than 10,000 infections, something that is unmanageable given the fragile health system.
They also said the move could set the second and “more disastrous” wave of the pandemic in the country.
“….with 3,200 hospital beds and not all are ICU-like in capacity, releasing more Ugandans within the 100 days, means the pressure on the health facilities would be overwhelming in case of new infections,” wrote the scientists.
“….75 per cent of the population can only be effectively released from lockdown after 210 days (around October 2020) if the possibility of having the second wave of the infection is to be mitigated,” they added.
The study report titled, “Understanding the dynamics of decision making amid political, public, socio-economical, national and regional challenges and interests,” was released in June by Makerere University.
