Once I heard COVID-19 was spreading world wide, I struggled personally, realizing we’d be responding for a very long time. I wanted a silver lining to maintain me grounded and provides me hope in order that I might give attention to serving to my nation.
As COVID-19 unfold throughout Europe, it was clear that COVID-19 was going to be a really completely different menace to Uganda. It was not like Zika or Ebola, with African names that Ugandans have been accustomed to. This was the pandemic the world has all the time feared however was not ready for. However, for me, the silver lining was that the virus had not but arrived in Uganda and we had a while to organize.
Every outbreak prepares us for the subsequent one as we construct new expertise and apply them. Every response builds on the subsequent, and responding to outbreaks is a by no means ending process for public well being employees. This grew to become very evident as we have been working Ebola and alongside got here COVID-19.
I proudly function a primary responder on the Nationwide Speedy Response Group, beneath Uganda’s Nationwide Process Drive. I look ahead to indicators of emergencies and put together to take the decision and reply instantly. Our workforce is educated and ready to help all elements of a public well being response, together with rapidly figuring out instances, tracing contacts, gathering and analyzing knowledge, gathering and testing samples, and making suggestions for public well being motion. My CDC workforce works carefully with the federal government of Uganda and different companions.
However my workforce additionally had issues about getting sick with COVID-19, which added to the stress of engaged on an emergency response. We have been all involved for our pals and our household, so the pandemic was deeply private to us. I frightened about my spouse, youngsters, siblings, dad and mom, and my workmates. I used to be coping with a lockdown, a brand new workforce, and new habits, like sporting masks. Juggling private issues and a demanding, nerve-racking job was one of many largest challenges I’ve confronted. Nonetheless, years of coaching and responding to emergencies made me higher ready to answer the pandemic and gave me some hope, my silver lining.
My workforce stored me sturdy and motivated. Ugandans are a resourceful, resilient, and united folks. Our resilience permits us to proceed to this struggle for our communities. Collectively, the nation has labored to sluggish the unfold of COVID-19 and made our job of managing COVID-19 doable.
This pandemic has taught me how necessary it’s to deal with myself. I make it a precedence to remain energetic. Once I can, I wander away to turn into a greater animal keeper and revel in nature. I’ve additionally discovered to give attention to issues that I had as soon as forgotten, together with a number of outdated home tasks.
This pandemic is affecting everybody. My household and I proceed to take measures to guard ourselves from COVID-19. We wash our fingers typically and put on masks round others. Now we have averted crowds, social occasions, and different actions that contain shut contact. I haven’t even been to the barber because the pandemic started. Conserving social connections is necessary, so we speak lots to members of the family just about. Know-how has allowed us and the world to remain related.
Ugandans proceed to outlive and our group stays sturdy. We are going to survive this pandemic. Possibly that’s the final word silver lining.
