The Ministry of Health has revised travel guidelines for all travellers arriving in Uganda citizens inclusive to prevent looming third wave of corona virus in the country.
According to Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, all travellers will meet the cost of the test and those who test positive, will be subjected to institutional isolation at government designated facilities with effect from 3rd September 2021.
“All travellers (including children) irrespective of vaccination status or country of origin, are required to arrive with a negative PCR test done 72 hours prior to travel and will be required to undergo mandatory screening and carry out a PCR test at their own cost at all points of entry, including Entebbe’’ she said on Friday
“Any traveller (national or non-national), who tests positive for COVID-19, will be evacuated by the Ministry of Health to designated Covid-19 isolation facility.” she added.
Previously, travellers were required to show negative coronavirus test results done 72 hours prior to travel before departure or entering the country.
The ministry will also undertake a Rapid Assessment Survey to establish, among others, the distribution of variants in the country.
Some mutations of the virus such as the alpha variant and the delta variant — discovered first in the UK and India, respectively — have been more transmissible than previous iterations of the virus and have gone on to dominate globally.
Uganda has so far registered at least five COVID-19 variants, including the delta, and now seeks to contain the spread as the country struggles to vaccinate citizens.
Dr Aceng, however, said effective September 3, Uganda will cease categorizing of countries, and the new measures will apply to all travellers from all countries, regardless of vaccination status.
Dr. Aceng added that despite the drop in daily cases, positivity rate and number of critically ill patients, the country faces an adverse looming third wave if the population neglects adherence to standard operating procedures.