20th March 2020

Sexual Minorities Uganda: Coronavirus – COVID-19 MEMO

At Sexual Minorities Uganda-SMUG, we care about the health and safety of our members and the entire LGBTIQ Community. Although there is a worldwide outbreak of the Coronavirus-COVID19, as of 20^th March 2020 Midday (12:00PM) UGANDA has NO confirmed case of COVID19 according to Uganda’s Ministry of Health and World Health Organization. After H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s presidential directive on gatherings and public events,we would like to inform you that all our public events and gatherings have been suspended until 20th April 2020. While our office will remain open, we encourage you (unless it is very urgent) to maintain electronic meetings and communication.

You can reach us on +256 392 174 432 and/or  at [email protected] .

Please follow all guidelines from the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization social media and websites for accurate information.

Here is what to do to stay and keep others safe :

1. Wash your hands regularly with lots of soap and water or use an alcohol based sanitiser. This will remove the virus in case it is on your hand.
2. Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing into a tissue that should be safely disposed off. If you use a handkerchief, make sure you wash it yourself and iron it with a hot iron. This way, you protect others from contacting the virus.
3. Maintain reasonable distance between you and another person, at least one meter apart. This makes it harder for the virus to move from one person to another.
4. Avoid touching your face, mouth, eyes, nose ……avoid other people’s faces too. This way, the virus cannot be transferred from surfaces on to humans.
5. If you have a cough, fever or difficulty breathing, kindly contact your nearest health worker. Ensure to cover your mouth and nose while out seeking health care so that you don’t infect others. Make sure to follow all the guidelines provided by the healthcare workers.
6. People with flu like symptoms should use facemasks to cover the face and nose and stay at home.
7. If you are caring for affected individuals, make sure to use a facemask to cover your nose and mouth for personal protection.
8. Clean and disinfect regularly touched places such as doorknobs or handles of all sorts, elevator buttons, handrails (try to avoid touching them) bus poles etc.
9. If you can’t help it and are travelling from countries affected by Corona Virus, follow guidelines by health workers and other border entrance points.

Here is what to avoid:

1. 1. AVOID HANDSHAKING AND HUGGING AT ALL TIMES.
   2. Avoid close contact with people who are visibly sick with flu like symptoms (fever, flu, coughing, sneezing,)
   3. Avoid going to public places if you have flu like symptoms, stay home in a secluded area to avoid infecting others.
   4. DO NOT SPIT IN PUBLIC make use of toilet paper (make sure to dispose them off safely) or handkerchiefs (make sure you safely wash and iron)
   5. Delay travel to countries affected by Coronavirus. If you MUST, kindly follow the instructions provided.
   6. AVOID travel if you have flu like symptoms.

Please note: Although the risk of serious illness from COVID-19 for people with HIV is not known, people with HIV may have concerns and questions related to their risk. It is upon this background that we encourage LGBTIQ people in Uganda to continue with their medication as directed by their health care providers. We also urge you to be extra cautious with their surroundings. Call first and seek immediate health care services if you have a fever, cough or difficulty breathing. Let’s remain vigilant, calm and refrain from spreading false rumors. In case of an alert report to Ministry Of Health toll-free lines 0800100066 or 0800-203-033.