President Museveni has advised the elderly 50 years and above to get covid 19 vaccination ahead of a full blown reopening of the economy by January next year.

Museveni has said that schools and other sectors of the economy will re-open in January 2022 irrespective of whether people are vaccinated or not.

While giving a status update on covid 19 last night, Museveni says the government will receive 23 million covid vaccines by December 2021.

He says with the vaccines already in stock and more coming in  if people get vaccinated, by the end of this year, over 12.8 million Ugandans would have received at least one dose of a vaccine.

“Many of the vaccines needed to vaccinate the 12 million are now available. By end of December more than 12 will have been vaccinated out of the 21 who should be vaccinated. Within 12million are 4.8 million who are to act as fire break,” he said.

Records from the health ministry indicate that there has been a very low turn up of persons 50 yaers and for vaccination.

Originally 3.3 people in this group were targeted but data from the health ministry as of October 16 shows that only 155,762 persons in the group have been fully vaccinated.

Museveni appealed to Ugandans above 50 years to get vaccinated since they are susceptible to covid-19. 

“I was told the other day that some categories, especially the ones 50 years and above, are not coming to get vaccinated at the health centre IIIs.I don’t believe that Ugandans are refusing to get vaccinated, they are just not told. I now want to inform you that vaccines are available at the health centres. I am telling Ugandans that vaccines for frontline workers and other categories are available. Go to health centre IIIs and get vaccinated.”he said

Uganda has received more than 9.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

At the moment, an estimated 4.5 million doses are left in stock, this includes 1.4 million doses of the single-dose Johnson& Johnson vaccine. However, health ministry data shows as of October 26, only 2.9 million doses of the vaccine had been used.

Some of the sectors that have remained closed to date include educational institutions, bars, theatres and cinemas.