Thread by @Opiaiya

As we come to terms with the reality that community spread is probably on-going ( and look to what additional measures the government will announce when @KagutaMuseveni addresses the nation again) here are some thoughts on the health crisis and the economic one ( a thread)

#Ugandan families must be told the reality that this virus, should it spread, will overwhelm the normal healthcare system. This means that health workers and resources they use will be depleted. The only way to stave off such a future is for each family to play its role #COVID19

The government owes a duty to be realistic about the prospect of the next several weeks and frank about it. The temptation to treat the #COVID19 pandemic like a global political beauty pageant by neo-nationalists who play to #Uganda’s reputation will not suffice with the virus

To wit - a containment strategy may fail, but the containment measures of social distancing, following hygiene recommendations of @MinofHealthUG will be needed to deal with the clinical response too. They are needed to prevent a run on available hospital capacity

As it stands #Uganda does not have enough ICU units even for its cabinet majority of whose members are in the vulnerable age category. A planned orderly use of all resources should be made now and addressed in clear language #COVID19

Also the #Ugandan government cannot be stingy in its response. There is no scenario here where we under spend our way out of the crisis. That language of “limited resource envelope” does not belong to this #COVID19 era

All said here are some suggestions that perhaps @KagutaMuseveni can consider in his address later ( or for the near future) the first of which is to address community spread very clearly.

Second will be to add an architecture of military enforcement procedures to back the civilian health teams. Why have so many LDUs when we can’t deputize them to join the effort in particular prepare them for mass testing should this be possible? @KagutaMuseveni

Since there will probably be an announcement of an overall military official to oversee the crisis response in the major towns and cities - it should be added that auxiliary units of local governments, volunteer groups and community leaders must constitute the full package

A lockdown will be expensive to the common purse and to families. To share this burden the Government can consider the following #COVID19

Prepare to suppprt employers to offer a 3-month salary advance to wage workers (insured by the government). This gesture will reassure the public, create an economic social net by padding spending abilities during a draw out closure @KagutaMuseveni

Prepare a major nutrition campaign that encourages families to eat healthy by purchasing local foods and integrating such a campaign with reorganization of markets and shops to remain safely operational during a lockdown @KagutaMuseveni @MinofHealthUG

Draw on the national reserve to purchase coffee ( and other warehouseable export crops) so as to retain forex in the economy. These are tradable goods at a future date but producers may face existential threats with the current global situation @KagutaMuseveni

Provide relief to transport companies ( buses and trucks). Logistics is the primary ecosystem for crisis response. These companies and their operations will define essential travel strategies as well as hold up the economy( movement of goods and services) #COVID19 ENDs