COVID-19: UCC ED Gives Insights into Utilizing Technology

Uganda Communications Commission Executive Director, Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo, in light of the Coronavirus pandemic, has shared guidelines on how the general public can make use of the available technology access in compliance with the Government directives as concerns curbing the spread of the virus.

Through her twitter handle, Ms Sewankambo cautioned the public on the need to sieve through the information accessed from the internet.

“Not everything on the internet is true or correct. Look out for the correct information from Government and World Health Organisation (WHO). This is not the time for rumours and theories,” she wrote.

Addressing the issue of holding meetings, she urged people to opt for e-meetings among different people, participate using tele-conferencing or the common messaging applications available on mobile phones in a bid to reduce close contact with one other.

It should be noted that so far, social distancing is one of the vivid workable measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

Ms Sewankambo also noted that using mobile money and online/internet banking will reduce the physical handling of cash and reduce exposure to the virus. “Also remember the statistics of how long the virus can survive on different surfaces,” she urged.

This comes at a critical time when the Covid-19 positive cases are shooting up in Uganda from 1 to 14 in a period of less than a week.

“Today, we have a number of local online stores like Jumia and others who advertise their products on social media. Many have phone contacts of their groceries providers. Delivery can be via services like Safe boda or other delivery arrangements,” she wrote addressing the inevitable need for people to access groceries and other supplies.

Uganda Communications Commission recently condemned the misuse of social media in initiating and spreading of baseless information that misleads the many that come across it.