Today, the 24th of January 2022, Uganda has officially ended the nationwide lockdown which has been in place for almost two years, becoming one of the longest in the world.

All sectors of the country’s economy have been officially opened to operate at full capacity. Sectors like education, sports, entertainment and transport were the last to be reopened and their stakeholders are now fully engaged in business reopening mode.

Time to recover from lockdown setbacks

Ugandans have warmly welcomed the reopening of the economy with optimism that they will be able to recover from all setbacks which set in during the lockdown. Artists, bar owners, transporters, leisure and entertainment service providers and revellers are among the most excited about the reopening. These are planning to revamp their businesses and recover from all the financial setbacks encountered during the lockdown.

Revellers gearing up

Revellers across the country have been one of the most affected groups during the lockdown. In addition to suspending all entertainment activities during lockdown, they also face the wrath of security operatives especially the police. In the name of enforcing lockdown measures like curfew, many revellers were arrested, tortured, fined while others were charged and detained in police cells and prisons. The vile of corruption also set in as security operatives started asking for money from those arrested in order to pardon them and spare them from police charges. After going through all this painful, experience, revellers are now gearing up for the forthcoming entertainment events to congratulate themselves upon overcoming one of the most stressful spells in their lives.

A psychological relief

Among the many challenges brought in by the lockdown included psychological issues which has affected many people’s mental health. Several mental health related problems were reported across the country including cases of suicide domestic violence and drug abuse. Majority of the victims in such cases were reportedly heavily affected by the lockdown including losing jobs and income, death of partners, relatives and friends, collapse of businesses, among others. Following the reopening, people are now optimistic that such cases can be overcome with the resumption of relaxing and entertainment activities.

Revellers warned to observe Covid-19 control measures

As the country reopens and revellers excited to begin partying, the government through the Ministry of Health has called upon them to observe all the established measures to control the spread of Covid-19. Managers and owners of bars and other entertainment places have been encouraged to ensure that all the set measures are enforced at their premises.

This week schools in Uganda finally reopened officially after being closed for almost two years following the outbreak of Covid-19. Schools were closed in March 2020 after the country had confirmed a few cases of Covi-19 and the partial reopening last year lasted for just a month due to the surge in cases fuelled by the Delta variant.

In November 2021, during his national address, President Museveni announced that schools will be reopened at the beginning of this year. He added that this would be followed by the reopening of the remaining sectors of the economy including transport and performing arts.

Students to be promoted to the next class

The 2-year school closure means that students have lost two years without progressing academically. However, as part of the plans to reopen schools the Ministry of Education and Sports has taken that into account.

The Ministry has issued a few measures to guide the schools on the reopening including promoting each student to the next class in this new academic year. School administrators were also warned not to increase school fees but to maintain the amounts at previous rates in order not to overwhelm parents whose incomes have been heavily affected by the pandemic. The Ministry also called upon schools to strictly observe Covid-19 control measures at all times to avoid another surge of cases among students which may prompt another closure.

Schools reopen amidst tough challenges

Although schools have been finally reopened, there are a lot of challenges facing schools, parents as well as students themselves;

High number of dropouts

The Ministry of Education and Sports predicts that about 30% of students will not be able to return to school due to a number of challenges which set in during lockdown. These include girls who got pregnant and those who are gave birth and unable to return to school due to parenting responsibilities. On the other hand, many boys have opted to get involved in income-generating activities and have refused to return to school.

Some schools unable to reopen completely

On the side of schools, many of them are unable to reopen due to financial difficulties majorly. Many, especially those that were financed by loans from creditors have been taken over due to failure to pay while others simply don’t have enough funds to facilitate the reopening. Many private school owners have confessed they have run out of money to rehabilitate their facilities and to buy the necessary equipment for the smooth reopening.

Exodus of teachers

The long closure of schools which rendered teachers jobless has forced may of them to quit the profession in favour of other fields to get some income. Many of them have resorted to other economic activities like farming and trade while a good number has also gone to look for jobs abroad especially in the Middle East.

However, according to the Ministry, they have already found a solution to this problem by recruiting new teachers to fill the gaps left behind by those who have quit especially in government-aided schools.

Parents stuck with students at home

Although schools have been officially reopened, many parents are still stuck with their children at home due to luck of funds to take them back to school. These claim that they don’t have the initial funds required by the schools to readmit the students.

Many schools are asking parents to pay at least half of the school fees as they bring back their children to school in order to facilitate the smooth running of school activities. However, this has proved to be a big stumbling block to parents whose incomes were heavily hit by the pandemic. Consequently, many parents have decided to remain with their kids at least until they get the required funds to take them back to school.

Following the recent bomb explosions in Kampala and Mpigi, Ugandans and foreigners who were planning to visit Uganda went into a serious panic mode. To make matters worse, the United States went on to issue a travel advisory alert to warn US Citizens who were planning to come to Uganda due to crime and terrorism.

“Reconsider travel to Uganda due to crime and terrorism. Terrorist groups active in Uganda have claimed responsibility for recent bombings in and near Kampala. While the attacks do not appear to have targeted foreigners, anyone one can be a victim of acts of violence,” read a statement on the website of the US embassy in Uganda.

“Violent crime, such as armed robbery, home invasion, and sexual assault, can occur at any time, especially in larger cities including Kampala and Entebbe.  Local police may lack appropriate resources to respond effectively to serious crime,” the statement continued.

The embassy went on to advise those who decide to travel to Uganda to among others avoid demonstrations and large public gatherings, use caution when walking or driving at night, keep a low profile, stay in a safe location and carry copies of travel documents and leave originals at a hotel and have embassy contacts for assistance.

Terrorist threat in Uganda

Before last month’s explosions Uganda had taken over 10 years without having any serious terrorist threat. The country had last been hit by terrorists in 2010 when over 70 people were killed in explosions at Lugogo while watching the World Cup final. Since then the country has been stable and peaceful.

Following last month’s attacks, security has been beefed up in the capital Kampala and around the country especially in busy towns as well as mounting night patrols, road blocks and checkpoints.

Uganda’s army, the Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) in collaboration with the government of DR Congo has launched military operations in eastern DR Congo targeting militias of Allied Democratic Force (ADF) who are accused to be behind the recent attacks.

The police has also made several arrests of the suspects who are believed to have connections with terrorists. Furthermore, security officials from the police, army and intelligence agencies have encouraged Ugandans and foreigners in the country to be calm and continue with their businesses as the security situation in Uganda is under control.

Current security situation in Uganda

The current security situation in Uganda is generally calm despite the panic caused by last month’s bomb attacks. Activities including trade, tourism and transport are going on very well as security officials continue to assure citizens of safety. Apart from the military operations launched by the army in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to counter and defeat the terrorist groups, all territories within Ugandan borders are peaceful.

Are tourists and foreign visitors safe in Uganda?

Despite the terrorist threats, tourism in Uganda is still going on smoothly and the country is continuing to welcome more tourists to come and explore it’s amazing attractions. All national parks and other tourist destinations are open to visitors and the security around them is strengthened even the more since the attacks.

Tourism in Uganda

Uganda’s tourism sector has significantly grown to become the country’s leading foreign exchange earner. Thousands of travellers from all over the world visit the Pearl of Africa to explore its amazing tourist experiences ranging from wildlife and adventure to cultural and historical encounters.

Leading tourist activities in Uganda include gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable national park in the southwest where travellers meet the endangered mountain gorillas. These giant primates are are not found anywhere else in the world apart from Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo. Other breathtaking wildlife experiences in Uganda include game viewing in large savannah parks, chimpanzee & primate tracking, bird watching, and more. Adventurous experiences like mountain climbing at the Rwenzori, the third-highest mountain in Africa and white-water-rafting at the source of the Nile also attract a big number of tourists.

Safety tips for travellers in Uganda

Given the cautious security situation in the country, all travellers and visitors are encouraged to be vigilant and careful where going about their business. We suggest the following safety tips;

As the Covid-19 vaccination campaign continues around the country, the Ministry of Health published the list of vaccination sites in each district to guide citizens on the exercise.

President Museveni has promised to fully reopen the economy and the schools in January 2022 regardless of the vaccination status in the country. Mr Museveni however, encouraged all Ugandans to flock their nearest health centres and get vaccinated to reduce any risk of another wave.

According to the president, Uganda will have about 23 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines which are enough to vaccinate more than 12 million Ugandans. These should include 4.8 million frontline workers and other categories of people that are vulnerable like bar attendants.

“If this is done, we shall be able to open schools and the rest of the economy by January 2022. But whether people go for vaccination or not, we shall still reopen the economy. If anything goes wrong, the moral responsibility is yours,” he said.

Regarding the willingness of people to go for vaccination, the president dismissed claims that Ugandans are refusing to respond:  “I don’t believe that Ugandans are refusing to get vaccinated, they are just not told. I now want to inform you that vaccines are available at the health centres.”

He urged local leaders including Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), Sub County Chiefs, Gisos to try and sensitise the public about the benefits of getting immunised against Covid-19. According to statistics, less than 10% of Ugandans have been vaccinated so far.

Worrying signs for schools

The closure of schools for almost two years has left Uganda’s education sector at the brink of a disaster. Private school owners claim that they are heavily indebted and they are almost losing their schools to lenders like banks. They were calling upon the government to intervene and save their schools. Unfortunately the Minister for Finance, Hon. Matia Kasaija turned this appeal down by advising them to sell some of their property and save their schools from being taken by creditors. Many Ugandan teachers have also been reported to have left for other jobs including travelling abroad to make ends meet while others claim that they won’t return for teaching. According to the report from UNICEF, Uganda’s schools have taken the longest time while closed since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

What about security?

Regarding the fragile security situation in Uganda following the two recent bomb attacks in Kampala and Mpigi which left two people dead and others injured, Museveni assured the public to stay calm and strong. He said neither rural-based insurgency nor urban terrorism will defy the government’s capacity.

“Although we had some success in fighting terrorism,  I realised that there were gaps in the policing capacity of the country. There was the infiltration of police by criminal elements that colluded with criminals, laxity, and a serious deficit of technology capacity to fight crime. But I would like to assure the public that neither rural-based insurgency nor urban terrorism will defy our capacity,” he added.

Latest Uganda Covid-19 updates

According to the Ministry of Health, confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Uganda are 125,758. Out of these, 96,510 have fully recovered while 3,209 have died. Total samples tested for Covid-19 are 1,781,878 and the country has so administered 2,854,082 doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

Uganda is endowed with fresh water sources. Water is the cheapest beverage any visitor can access at any part of country. Tapped water in Uganda is relatively safe but not recommended for drinking unless boiled. All tour companies ensure that visitors carry safe bottled water all times.

Where does water come from in Uganda?

Uganda has abundance of fresh water sources including rivers flowing from great natural fountains and snow-capped mountain Rwenzori; and lakes and wetlands. Statistics from World Wildlife Fund Uganda show that about 25% of the country’s surface area is covered by water (lakes, rivers and swamps) combined. For instance, Uganda has four of the 7 great lakes of Africa namely; Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Edward and Lake George. In addition, the country is home to source of the Nile River, the world’s longest river.

Water from these sources is utilized to serve the population in form of tap water, boreholes and water tanks. There are also several companies in Uganda packaging water that is available throughout the country.

The Uganda Water Supply and Sanitation Sector’s mission is “to promote and ensure sustainable utilization, development and effective management of water and environment resources for socio-economic development of the country”. The Uganda National Water and Sewerage Cooperation (NWSC) has a well-maintained water system that supplies quality piped water drawn from Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake.

Most of the accommodations in Kampala or Entebbe city rely on this national water supply. There also hotels that use water from their own rainwater harvest tanks or wells. Most of the lodges in Kampala and in the national parks, will have a note in their rooms if their water is safe to drink or not from the tap.

Is bottled water safe to drink in Uganda?

There are several companies in Uganda that package and produce mineral bottled water. The Uganda National Water and Sewerage Corporation (UNWSC) does a good job of checking continuously the quality standards of water.

A study conducted in 2017 by the National Water and Sewage Corporation technical team showed that at least 30% of their 200 samples were contaminated with micro organisms thus not safe to drink unless boiled or treated. Henceforth the government of Uganda has expanded safe water coverage to even the most remote areas of the country.

Shopping in Uganda

Looking for where to go shopping in Uganda, the best supermarkets, curio shops, arts, crafts are found in Kampala, Entebbe and Jinja towns. These cities are also some of the best places to visit in Uganda for sightseeing city and cultural tours, white water rafting on the Nile River etc. Whether shopping for water, travel gear, souvenir and arts and crafts; better you do it in the towns mentioned above.  In Entebbe town for instance, the Entebbe craft village has jewelry, souvenirs, sculptures, clothing etc. banana boat is the largest craft village in Kampala city and Kilombera workshop in Jinja city, the adventure capital of East Africa. Besides shopping, Kampala, Entebbe and Jinja offer the best outings, adventure and recreation. From cultural experiences to visiting Entebbe zoo, botanical gardens to rafting, biking and zip-lining in Mabira central forest reserve.

Tips to help you drink water safely in Uganda

• Living in Kampala or anywhere as an expat in Uganda, look for big water bottles that range from 5 ltr to 18 liters. Because it’s easy to refill after use.
• Bring water purifying tablets
• Carry an insulated water bottle.

Health issues you can get from drinking contaminated water

There are a number of ailments one can get from drinking contaminated water. The most common water borne diseases include Typhoid fever, cholera, diarrhea and dysentery. However, malaria is one of the leading causes of death in Uganda. Carry your medication because these diseases are preventable. Visit any pharmacy or clinic in Uganda if you get sick or stomach issues from drinking water. There are anti-malaria and diarrhea drugs.

Better be on the safe side. Purchase travel insurance before visiting Uganda.

On September 22^nd 2021, the president of Uganda H.E Yoweri Museveni eased Covid-19 restrictions. During his Address on measures to contain covid-19 situation, Museveni confirmed that Covid-19 transmission rates have continued to decline.

As a result, some of the Covid-19 restrictions were lifted including allowing universities to re-open November this year, increasing vaccination that targets 4.8 million Ugandans. The president also allowed places of worship and entertainment venues to open minus bars. However, curfew time is maintained among other restrictions to prevent a likely outbreak of third wave of covid-19 pandemic.

Covid-19 started in Uganda in March 2020 with Ministry of Health (MOH) Uganda registering its first covid-19 case. The country implemented a total lockdown shut down Entebbe airport and most business, schools, private and public vehicles.

After the first wave of covid-19, Entebbe airport was opened for tourism. But, in May 2021 the country started experiencing a second wave of Covid-19 due to emergency of new highly infectious corona virus variants such as delta variant.

In reaction, the president of Uganda H.E. Yoweri Museveni announced a lockdown for 42 days from June 18^th to July, 20^th 2021 shutting down public transport, schools and entertainment venues.

The lockdown helped to contain the transmission of covid-19 despite the peak of the second wave. Between June and July, the average confirmed daily had reached 1445 but significantly declined to 124 cases. In addition, the number of death also reduced from 57 to 6 people.

During his latest address on the nation, the president brought up-to-date information on the Covid-19 situation in Uganda. He confirmed that as of September 2021, the registered cases of covid-19 in Uganda stand at 122,502 and 3135 deaths.

Furthermore, the Independent newspaper article published on Wednesday, September 22^nd 2021 shows the status of covid-19 patients currently in hospitals. The number of people admitted in public and private hospitals stand at 340 with 272 in public, 66 in prisons and 2 in private facilities. 144 are in intensive care condition which represent 38% of the total number of covid-19 admissions.

With the above numbers, the spread of covid-19 situation in Uganda is stable compared to previous year. However, there are 9 districts likely to have high rate of Covid-19 transmission. These include Kampala, Kalungu, Kabale, Kumi, Soroti, Tororo, Gulu, Nwoya and Yumbe.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) Uganda and the covid-19 response team has identified measures to further contain the spread of new variants and the possible third wave of Covid-19.

The measures include the following apply to all Ugandan in general across the country.

• Increasing Covid-19 vaccination
• Mandatory testing of covid-19 at Entebbe airport and all 53 land border entry points.
• Safe re-opening of schools and other business that have been lockdown
• Maintaining curfew and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s).

Covid-19 Vaccination Situation in Uganda 2021.

Uganda received its first batch of 684,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from India early March 2021. The Uganda government has since carried out extensive mobilization campaign and obtained various vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Data from the Ministry of Health (MOH) shows that the type and quantity of vaccines received and the ones expected to arrive in the country before end of 2021 will total to 12 million doses.

Vaccines Received in Uganda

• 1,647,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines were received September 20^th 2021 donated by United States of America.
• 647,000 doses of Moderna vaccines from USA September 6^th 2021
• 501,000 doses of AstraZaneca vaccine from France arrived on September 22^nd 2021.
• 344,900 doses of AstraZaneca from Belgium arrived on September 22^nd 2021
• 700,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine from China 30^th September

Vaccines Yet to Arrive in Uganda 2021

• 700,000 doses of Sinovac will come from China by end of September 2021
• 3,488,940 doses of Pfizer vaccine from USA by October 2021
• 1,200,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be purchased by Uganda government end of October 2021
• 2,000,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines will come be bought by Uganda Government end of September 2021.
• 1,000,000 doses of AstraZaneca vaccines from Covax India end of October 2021.
• 350,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines shall come from Ireland Mind October 2021.
• 100,000 doses of Jonson & Johnson vaccine shall come from Belgium end of November 2021.

Now with 2,294,000 doses of vaccines administered at Uganda National Medical Stores (NMS), the government aims to vaccinate about 4.8 million people before end of year. Supposing that each person gets two shots, 2.3% of Uganda’s of the 45 million population. Source: World Coronavirus Tracker. The vaccination strategy targets Ugandans aged 18 years and above but not limited to health and security workers, primary and secondary school teachers, elderly persons aged 50 years and above and students in institutions of higher learning.

So far, the vaccination status of the 4.8 million people stands as follows:-

The number of teachers targeted are 550000. Of these, 269,945 (49%) and 96,653 (17.6%) have received their first and second dose respectively. Those unvaccinated first and second dose are 280,055 and 453,347 respectively. 

Health workers targeted are 150,000. So far 112,129 (74.8%) have got their first dose while 56,687 (37.8) % their second dose.

In addition to vaccination, there are measures to further prevent the likely outbreak of third wave and emergency of new covid-19 variants like delta. The president directed covid-19 response team and Ministry of Health (MOH) Uganda to do the following:-

• Increase surveillance through implementation of new Covid-19 testing procedures at Entebbe airport and al 54 land borders. So far, there are 15 test fly laboratories accredited to carry out covid-19 testing with six in Entebbe town.
• Installation of new testing facilities
• Enforcing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s).
• Hot spot districts mentioned above continue to be monitored for a period of two weeks.

Covid-19 restrictions that were lifted

To safely re-open sectors under lockdown, the covid-19 task force and Ministry of Health (MOH) considers a number of factors such as; risk of transmission, vulnerability of people and impact on the sector. therefore, re-opening of the following is based on National Health Act guidelines and scientific evidence as well as enforcement of SOP’s.

Institutions of higher learning such as universities will re-open November 1^st 2021.

Primary and secondary schools shall re-open next year 2022 once the vaccination of teachers, no working staff and 330,000 students in post-secondary institutions aged 18 above is complete.

Places of worship, funerals and weddings are allowed to open along with performing arts and entertainment venues such as casinos, gaming, gyms and shopping halls. However, bars, cinemas, disco clubs, beaches, concerts for performing artists remain closed.

To operate smoothly, these must limit the capacity to 200 people and follow the Standard Operating Procedures such as wearing face masks, maintain social distancing, washing hands with soap and sanitizer.

Curfew time has been maintained to limit movement of people at night. Curfew time starts at 7:00pm up to 5:30am. Motorcycles/ Boda Bodas should stop movement before 7:00pm.

Food markets are fully open except in the 9 districts mentioned above.

Uganda located in East Africa along the equator is one of the safe countries to travel to especially for gorilla tours. Among the safety tips for travel to Uganda is to avoid malaria, the leading cause of death accounting for over 27% of lives in the country according to Uganda National Malaria Control Program. Other causes of death in Uganda according to Center for Diseases Control (CDC) Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) include neonatal disorders, HIV/AIDS, lower respiratory infections, tuberculosis diarrhea diseases, road injuries etc.

The risk of malaria on Uganda safari should not scare you. There are ways to prevent and control the killer disease, however, a new study in Uganda revealed that the parasite causing malaria (Plasmodium falciparum) has developed resistance to the primary drug used to treat the disease.

The most used and effective anti-malarial drugs available include Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACT). The key objective of this treatment is to ensure full treatment of Plasmodium parasites from a patient’s blood stream which prevents the disease from getting severe.

The risk of malaria transmission is very high in parts of northern Uganda where a study was conducted in Gulu district between 2015 and 2019 at St. Mary’s Hospital Lacor. Results from the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine September 23, 2021 suggest that there’s high risk of malaria spreading across the East African region. Given that the drugs are losing ability creating conditions where malaria parasite can now resist main line of treatment.

Health authorities in East African Community (EAC) are now concerned to find strategies to combat the high spread of malaria that could put at risk the lives of the region’s 177 million people.

Malaria is so common in Africa according to World Health Organization (WHO), the continent accounts for 90% of malaria cases worldwide. This is due to a number of factors including a very efficient mosquito parasites called Anopheles gambiae complex which is drug resistant and responsible for high transmission.

Rwanda for instance, which is located in Virunga Mountains between East and Central Africa has reported cases of drug-resistant strains of malaria in the remote Southern Province around Nyungwe Forest National Park, where travelers go for chimpanzee trekking and canopy walk.

According to the study findings, some of the measures to treat malaria effectively include use of different Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs) and additional partner drugs to treat patients with malaria. ACT’s have been adopted by World Health Organization as the best combination therapy used against malaria and are widely available in Uganda where the End Malaria campaign is helping more than 13 million citizens in 43 districts to stay safe from malaria.

Researchers during the two year study in northern Uganda looked at 240 blood samples. Among the participants who were given artemisinin therapy (ACT), 14 took more than five hours to get rid of malaria casing parasites. But, according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards, the therapy should take at least two hours after treatment to remove the parasite from the patient’s body.

Uganda Travel Safety Tips

• First of all, purchase travel insurance before visiting Uganda.
• No anti-malaria drugs can cure or prevent the disease 100%. No matter the time of the year you want to visit Uganda, bring protective gears. Your packing list should include mosquito repellant, long sleeved pants especially when going for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
• Sleep under a mosquito net.
• Avoid reckless driving and stay safe on the road. Because Uganda has a high rate of road traffic accidents especially along the western circuit. Recommended driving speed within Uganda national parks is 40km/hour. Do not exceed because you pay a fine of $500 for animal accident.
• Uganda Police Emergency contact 999 or 122

• Global protocols for tourism
• Adventure activities, for example gorilla trekking
• How covid-19 threatens the survival of gorillas
• Gorilla trekking rules and regulations
• Taking selfies with gorillas amidst covid-19
• New gorilla tourism rules

How Covid-19 has crippled tourism in Africa

The outbreak of covid-19 and the subsequent global pandemic has largely affected the global economy with many people losing their lives and businesses shutting down.

Travel to Africa for safari in particular has faced a lot of restriction besides other long-haul travel markets and destinations. This led to loss of tourism revenue for governments, loss of jobs and income to those employed in the sector while a lot of businesses have also closed down.

With the urgency to contain the spread of the first and second waves of corona virus, destinations enforced lockdowns. However, with the rolling out of covid-19 global vaccination process, travel to Africa is slowly opening up following the release of protocols and guidelines for adventure travel and tourism by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) together with World Health Organization.

Therefore, for tourism to restart, destinations are implementing standard operating procedures (SOPS) such as washing hands with soap, sanitizing and putting on face masks. Fully vaccinated travelers must adhere to these procedures. Once at a destination, a visitor is subjected to mandatory verification, testing and screening.

Thus for anyone wishing to visit any destination in Africa, it is advisable to keep updated on latest developments on covid 19 rules as they keep changing over time. Gorilla trekking is one of the major concerns of the conservationists since the gorillas are highly vulnerable to this pandemic.

Recent research and information available shows that gorilla trekking if not regulated puts the health of mountain gorillas at risk of contracting covid-19 because gorillas share about 98% of their DNA with humans.

Since the start of gorilla tourism in the early 1970’s, conservation history shows that gorillas can suffer and die from respiratory infections including covid-19 among others. For instance, between 2002 and 2003, about 5,500 Western lowland gorillas in DR Congo, at the Lossi Sanctuary, died of Ebola virus (according to CGTN).

As a result, gorilla rules and regulations were put in place to minimize human disturbance and the risk of transmitting diseases to gorillas. That’s why the gorilla doctors scheme was established in order to carry out disease intervention and curing of gorillas that get sick and injured.

You need to know about the gorilla trekking rules and be a responsible visitor.

Gorilla trekking rules

• You are not allowed to visit gorillas when sick
• You must wash your hands before going to visit the gorillas

When with the gorillas

• Do not eat or drink when with gorillas
• You must keep a distance of 7 meters when with the gorillas
• Do not use flash photography when taking pictures of gorillas.
• You are not allowed to touch the gorillas.

Despite these rules, there have been incidences of visitors inconveniencing gorillas as the new study recently published in the British ecological journal “People and Nature” journal and Oxford Brooke University reveals. The study was carried out using Instagram posts that featured 855 gorilla selfies and photos taken between 2013 to 2019. And the results from the paper titled “keep your distance: using instagram posts to evaluate the risk of anthroponotic diseases transmission in gorilla ecotourism shows that tourists were close enough to gorillas than the recommended distance without face masks which could possibly transmit diseases.

New Gorilla Trekking Rules

“Keep your distance and wear your face masks when visiting gorillas” the study warned.

Therefore, gorilla rules have been reviewed limiting tourists from taking selfies with gorillas. This however, does not interfere visitors from getting up close and personal with gorillas. Visitors during gorilla trek can look into the eyes of the mountain gorillas.  

In order to allow for seamless and safe gorilla trekking experience amidst Covid-19, tourists must now put on their face masks. Whether you want to visit gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda or DR Congo.