The management of St Mary’s Hospital Lacor in Gulu City is calling for calm after 95 people tested positive for coronavirus at the facility in a space of two weeks. They include 69 students at Lacor Health Training Institute.
Josephine Anying, the Hospital Public Relations Officer said the situation is under control and there is no cause for alarm.
According to Anying, 26 of the patients have been discharged, 69 were still being monitored and out of danger while two were on oxygen.
Ministry of Health is considering vaccinating students aged 18 and below at health training institutions against COVID-19 to control the spread of the virus.
According to the Health Ministry, health institutions are turning out to be COVID-19 cluster centers.
The manufacturers of the vaccine and the World Health Organisation recommend that the vaccine to be administered to people above 18 years because this age group was involved in the trials to determine their efficacy.
Dr. Alfred Driwale, the Program Manager Uganda National Expanded Program of Immunisation-UNEPI, says that they are engaging WHO to revise the age group.
In February, AstraZeneca began vaccine trials on volunteers aged 6-17 years of age based in the UK.
The trials were halted following claims that some of the beneficiaries had developed blood clots. The effect the vaccine might have on persons aged 16 and below still remains unknown.
