3.5m Ugandans now vaccinated against Covid

The country is likely to be fully opened at the end of this month if  government hits the 4.8 million target of vulnerable Ugandans who should be vaccinated against Covid-19, the Ministry of Health has  said.
While launching a two-day vaccination drive by Nile Breweries in Kansanga, Kampala, yesterday, Ms Margaret Muhanga, the State Minister in-charge of Primary Healthcare, said they have vaccinated 3.5 million people so far.

“By the end of this month, the moment we hit 4.8 million, we are opening the whole economy because these comprise the 500,000 with co-morbidities, teachers, soldiers, and now we added 330,000 students in universities and tertiary institutions,” she said.
Ms Muhanga added that when bars are reopened, the owners should not allow patrons who do not wear masks and those without vaccination certificates to access their premises because these are the ones who can easily infect the vaccinated patrons.
 She wondered why people are not voluntarily going to get vaccines even when the country has 4 million vaccines.
Asked about fears of a third wave of the pandemic, Ms Muhanga said the scientists have advised that it could be around Christmas season when people gather for festivities, but so far Uganda is the best country in Africa in containing it, and among the top 10 in the world.

Mr Onapito Ekomoloit, the director of legal and corporate affairs at Nile Breweries, said they launched the simultaneous vaccination drive in 26 districts across the country targeting  to vaccinate 10,000 people.  
A total of 5,905 people were inoculated on day one of the Nile Breweries’ drive, according to the communication’s manager, Ms Flora Aduk.
Earlier, Mr Onapio said the exercise is a continuation of their support to government since last year when they donated food to government, oxygen cylinders and fuel to support the Covid-19 district taskforces of Mbarara, Kampala and Buikwe.

“We are bringing vaccination to people who are happy to drink beer. It is a nationwide simultaneous drive a few days after the President said he would bring our workers on board,” he said.
Mr Francis Kisirinya, the acting executive director of Private Sector Foundation Uganda, asked other private companies to mobilise their communities to get vaccinated so as to hit the 4.8 million target.