We Will Close You Again: Ministry Of Education Warns School Teachers For Shunning COVID-19 Jabs

By Spy Uganda

Kampala: Following the launch of the Covid-19 vaccination on 10 March 2021, starting with essential services personnel at the highest risk of getting infected in the line of duty, the government has now launched the vaccination of teachers.

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According to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the inclusion of teachers in the priority category for vaccination was and is still intended to mitigate the risk of their infection in the schools.

The Ministry however has since expressed worry over the poor turn out of teachers for vaccination. It says, ”However, we have received reports from the Ministry of Health that there is low uptake of vaccination among teachers. This undermines Government efforts to ensure the safe and sustainable full reopening of education institutions.”

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”The purpose of this circular, therefore, is to inform teachers in all educational institutions that you are required to take personal responsibility for getting vaccinated either at a health facility near you or through the vaccination outreaches organized by health workers in your community, Covid-19 vaccines are available free of charge in all sub-counties at Health Centre Ills, Health Centre IVs, district hospitals, regional referral hospitals and selected private health facilities,” reads a statement from the Ministry of Education signed by Permanent Secretary Alex Kakooza.

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The Ministry further urges heads of education institutions to mobilize and support all their teaching staff to get vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible.

”You are advised to contact the management of the Covid-19 vaccination service centre nearest your institution and make the necessary arrangements to have the teachers vaccinated,” says the Ministry.

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The Ministry warned, ”In addition to vaccination, the non-therapeutic preventive measures against the spread of Covid-19, including wearing of face mask, hand washing and social distancing should continue to be strictly observed.”

The launched vaccination campaign target 21,936,011 people equivalent to 49.6 per cent of the population of Uganda.