KEEP AWAY FROM CROWDS TO AVOID CVID-19 – DR OKELLO AYEN

KEEP AWAY FROM CROWDS TO AVOID CVID-19 – DR OKELLO AYEN

By our reporter

The Director of Public Health and Environment at Kampala City Authority Dr. Okello Ayen Daniel has advised Ugandans especially those within the central business district of Kampala to stay away from crowded places to avoid contracting COVDI-19.

He made these remarks yesterday while receiving an assortment of 200 Korean meal boxes from the Korean Association in Uganda donated to the health workers in the KCCA health facilities who are handling COVID-19 patients. “COVID-19 is a disease that tends to thrive in crowds and areas of dense population. But since we can avoid these crowded places, let us put on our masks because they are very protective to the person wearing it but also to the people around,” he said. He further called upon people who present any signs and symptoms of the virus like flu, dry cough and loss of the sense of smell to present themselves to KCCA health facilities within the city and they will be tested at no cost. He also said that Kampala has become the epicenter of the pandemic in the country with two deaths registered daily.

When asked on the hotspots within the city where one could catch the virus, Ayen said that it is everywhere and all people need to take precaution by following the Standard operating procedures to prevent the disease.

He also stated that they have licensed other private health facilities to attend to COVID-19 patients alongside the treatment centres at Mulago hospital and Mandela national stadium in Wakiso district.

He concluded by thanking the kind gesture of Korean food by the association and said it will go a long way in motivating the staff in the health facilities.

Peter I S Moon the Association chairman in his speech said that KCCA plays a very vital role in taming the virus within the city. He also called on the members of the public not to take the virus lightly because it is very fatal when handled with laxity. He also reiterated the call to wear masks and keeping social distance when in crowds to prevent the virus, and called for a collective effort by all stakeholders in the fight to end the pandemic in the country.