Security operatives and political leaders in Rubanda and Kabale districts have said that the poor mindset by locals about corona-virus pandemic is hindering proper implementation of Presidential directives on public gatherings amid fears of Covid-19 pandemic.
The Kabale Acting Health Officer Alfred Besigensi and the Kabale district Chairperson Patrick Besigye Keihwa say that people in the district still think that the disease has not reached in Kabale and other rural areas and therefore there is no need to follow the guidelines to prevent it. They also say that people think that the disease is for whites who are rich and energetically weak and therefore the disease cannot affect able bodied and strong people in Africa.
They also say that some people have continued to sell alcohol under cover with a wrong perception that the alcohol cures corona-virus yet it is not scientifically proven. He called upon people to avoid being lied about coronavirus.
The Rubanda district Health Officer Dr Abdon Birungi says that people especially in rural areas are not bothered despite several warnings and intervention by security operatives to stop them. He says that they agreed to arrest all bar owners who will be found hiding people in their bars adding that they cannot allow such people to put the lives of people in the district at risk. Birungi added that such a habit has let down their efforts to implement and control the spread of Covid-19 in the district.
President Yoweri Museveni last month directed the public to avoid places of mass gatherings for a month as the country monitors the COVID-19 situation that has most put parts of the world on lockdown.
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