Government intends to advise couples not to have sex for at least two months in the event that coronavirus strikes.
So far Uganda has not recorded any case regarding coronavirus although her neighbours Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania have all reported cases.
Coronavirus has no cure but that does not mean that it is highly fatal. For those with strong immunity, it will treat them like common flu and they will overcome it.
Yet for the elderly and others whose body immunity is weak or those who have other infections, it can be fatal. So far it has killed thousands of people mainly elderly people in China, US and Europe.
It is highly infectious and spreads very easily through air or when one comes into contact with an infected person.
Experts believe that it is a matter of time before coronavirus arrives here.
That is why government is not taking any chances.
Sources have told The Rogue that besides the measures that were recently announced by government to curb the spread of the virus such as washing hands with a sanitizer or soap, other stricter measures.
One of them, The Rogue has been told, is to urge couples not to have sex for at least two months.
We are told that this proposal was tabled by one of the experts in a meeting called to find ways of stopping the virus.
The expert said Ugandans are some of the most sexually active people and since during the act people are in close contact with the other, the spread of the virus if it hits here, will be rapid.
The expert also said couples should separate beds especially if one of them has flu or a cold.
“I propose that people should be advised not to have sex for two months if we are to stop coronavirus,” the expert said.
The proposal attracted mixed reactions from the officials.
Whereas they saw the logic in his argument some wondered whether the proposal can be implemented given our cultural context.
“It will not work here,” the official said adding that “some Ugandans would rather take the risk of contracting coronavirus than spend two months without sex.”
Another official said it could work especially if the message is packaged well and if the devastating effects of the virus become visible to everyone.
“If people lose relatives and close friends, they will know that this thing is real and they will agree to all measures including not having sex,” he said.
By the time of writing this, government was still considering whether or not to include this proposal on the list on new measures of curbing coronavirus.
The Rogue is a satirical column that runs every TUESDAY on The Nile Post.
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Twitter: @ekiggundu
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