KAMPALA, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has demanded that the entertainment industry in the east African country will remain closed in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 amid the discovery of new variants.
In a televised address to the nation late Friday, President Museveni said the bars, discos and concerts will remain banned until the government vaccinates at least 5.5 million elderly and people with underlying medical conditions with coronavirus vaccines.
"On bars, discos, beaches and performing arts and concerts, these sectors many of which are associated with drunkards and super spreader effects shall remain closed until the country attains a threshold level of vaccination," said Museveni. "If 80 percent of these 3.5 million elderly and about 2 million people under 50 but with underlying comorbidities that place them at risk of severe COVID-19 disease are immunized, then we can say okay, we can relax a bit."
The president urged artists to perform online and embrace digital evolution after the discovery of the highly transmissible COVID-19 variants which were reported first in Britain, South African and Nigeria.
"I have instructed the minister of finance and economic development to financially support the actualization of online platforms for performing artists to embrace digital revolution. Artists can perform online through the internet," said Museveni.
The president appealed to the citizens to get vaccinated following hesitancy for inoculation in the ongoing nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign exercise, launched on March 10 in the east African country.
Since the start of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, a total of 220,893 people had been vaccinated by Friday, according to the Ministry of Health, what has been described as a low uptake.
"It is so far the only effective way. It is important to get vaccinated as the numbers may soar," Museveni warned.
The Ministry of Health data showed that as of April 16, the country had registered a cumulative total of 41,340 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 40,898 recoveries and 338 deaths. Enditem
