Uganda issues new Covid-19 rules as country braces for second wave
Uganda has announced a series of new rules as the country braces for a second wave of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.
Some of the rules target people entering the country.
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The Ministry of Health has announced increased vigilance for foreign arrivals.
Addressing the media at the Health Ministry head offices on Wednesday, Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng said that government has added several countries to category two (2) list.
Citizens from these countries have been advised against non - essential travel to Uganda.
Aceng said, "Travellers from USA, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Tanzania should consider postponing non-essential travel to Uganda," Aceng said.
Travellers and citizens arriving from countries on this list will be subjected to a PCR COVID-19 test on arrival at the point of entry.
India, a country whose COVID-19 variant has been deemed a super spreader, attacking the young and old, remained in Category one (1) according to Dr. Aceng, and flights from India, or through India will remain suspended, until further notice.
Dr. Aceng said that countries that were not mentioned in category one and two belong to category three and are exempted from the new measures.
Travellers from category three and two who have received their full COVID-19 vaccination and are asymptomatic will be allowed into the country without the need for testing on arrival.
Dr. Aceng said the Ministry of Health has also identified five laboratories with the ability to test over 5,000 samples per day and tasked them to set up testing points in Entebbe town.
Aceng said that they have harmonized the cost for testing and agreed with the private laboratories not charge more than USD 65 for testing of all incoming travelers from Category 1 and 2 countries arriving through Entebbe International Airport.
"With support from the airport officials and the airlines, travellers from category 1 and 2 countries will be identified, cleared by immigration and evacuated from the airport to the testing site to avoid congestion and disruption of services." Aceng said.
To-date, according to the Ministry of Health data, Uganda has vaccinated a cumulative number of 364,582 people with the 1st dose of the AstraZeneca Vaccine.
