CORONA: Juba Residents protest against new lockdown measures

“The new partial lockdown shows that the taskforce has been sleeping.”

By Winnie Cirino

JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN: Residents in Juba, South Sudan woke up Thursday morning to a shock news about the government decision to impose an abrupt 1-month lockdown due to a recent surge in the number of new cases of coronavirus.

The National Task Force on COVID-19 says there will be no more public gatherings or any activities that will attract crowds.

This is aimed at reducing the spread of the pandemic, according to H.E Hussein Abdelbagi, the Vice President of Service Cluster and chairperson of the National Task Force on COVID-19.

“All businesses that attract crowds such as shisha stalls, bars, nightclubs, day parties, cards and betting must close.” Abdelbagi announced Wednesday on state television SSBC.

“Ban all the social gatherings, such as sporting events, religious events including Sunday Church prayers, Salat Al Juma Mosque Prayers, funerals, wedding ceremonies and political events.” He added.

 The government closed all schools and other institutions of learning as well except for candidate classes scheduled to sit their final examinations, which the vice president says must be done under strict supervision and observance of the COVID-19 preventive measures.

Restaurants, tea places and other small businesses can continue to operate but must adhere to the preventive measures to avoid closure.

Public buses and taxis shall be required to carry passengers at half capacity, while ensuring mandatory wearing of facemask, strict social distancing, and avoidance of handshake.

“We also urge both the private and public sectors to allow the non-essential staff to stay home on a paid leave or to alternate their staff in shifts.” Abdelbagi said, adding alerting the air travel agencies to ensure their passengers must possess a free COVID-19 test certificate.

Some residents say it’s not fair to impose lock down now when many are struggling to meet their basic needs.

“The new partial lockdown shows that the taskforce has been sleeping.” Gordon said.

He says the taskforce is not up to the task to protect the citizens from the coronavirus pandemic because the government does not provide a free text but rather encourages private clinics to charge travelers to test for COVID-19 for a fee in order to acquire the mandatory COVID-19 Certificates required for international travels.

The 34 years old doubts if people will observe the new lockdown.

“it’s going to be a ground for corrupt practices like bribery for law enforcers who will definitely take, and we will get back to where we started.” Gordon told The Insider.

“What needs to be done by the National Task Force is role out countrywide free voluntary testing for COVID-19, have a government led awareness from COVID-19, pay the pending salaries of all civil servants, especially the uniform forces and then come up with a partial lockdown which shall be implemented, otherwise it will just end as a dream.” He added.

Godfrey Fred, another resident of Juba says the lockdown is a bad idea.

“When you lock everything, we are not going to survive properly, we are going to face a lot of problems wherever you go.”

“If you don’t move, survival itself will be very difficult. So, at least we need our government to take another measure [but] not close everything because there are very many ways of preventing the disease.” 35-year-old Fred advised.

While William Edward thinks otherwise. He says the lockdown will reduce the spread of the pandemic. But insists the government should distribute foodstuffs to vulnerable households.

“Government has to provide Food for the people to support them while they are under lockdown to help them. South Sudan people are suffering a lot and it’s not easy to get food.” Edward said.

The 57-year-old said if that does not happen people are likely to violate the COVID-19 preventive measure as they hustle for survival.

South Sudan imposed its first lock down but was lifted in May as the rate of new infections reduced significantly.  

Dr. Richard Laku, COVID-19 Response manager at the Public Health Laboratory says they have been mainly testing travelers and few people in the states that is why the rate of positive cases are surging.

Dr. Laku said in the last seven days the lab recorded 218 positive cases as compared to the other week they recorded 140 cases.

“But on 2nd of February, we had 218 cases, which is almost double of the cases along the two weeks and this shows that the possibility rate has been increasing from last week to this week.” Dr. Laku clarified.