The Minister of Health Dr. Daniel Ngamije has said that tests within all the markets in Kigali and other high-risk zones will kick off this week to determine the next steps which may as a last resort see the imposing of another lockdown.

Ngamije said this on Sunday, August 16 while appearing on the national broadcaster, where he was on a panel to discuss the next steps in dealing with the recent spike in the Covid-19 new infections.

He was joined by the Minister of State in Charge of Social Affairs, Ignatienne Nyirarukundo; the Mayor of City of Kigali, Pudence Rubingisa; and the Spokesman of the National Police, CP John Bosco Kabera to discuss new measures on fighting Covid-19.

"A lockdown is a hard but possible decision. People need to know that if the numbers continue to rise, there are some hard decisions that will have to be made. We are this week doing tests in all City of Kigali markets and the outcome will determine the next steps,” he said.

He reminded the government will not sit by as the pandemic spreads vastly, outweighing its capacity to deal with it.

Ngamije explained that currently an exercise to trace all the contacts of the infected is ongoing adding that the behaviour of the masses and the numbers will contribute towards how the government will move forward.

New vaccine

Ngamije touched on the introduction of a Covid-19 vaccine on the world market where he said that Rwanda was closely following the development.

"We are in talking terms with some institutions that work on vaccines. If the vaccine goes on the market and is approved by the World Health Organisation, we are among the countries that they would like to work with because of our solid health system,” he said.

Market guidelines revamped

The Minister of State in Charge of Social Affairs, Ignatienne Nyirarukundo, said that the campaign to encourage strict hand washing, wearing masks and social distancing will be upped in the next few weeks.

Besides the guidelines, new measures are going to be put in place to significantly reduce the traffic within markets.

"We have considered all options, including temporarily taking the markets to the outskirts of Kigali where there is more space for people to observe social distancing,” she said.

CP Kabera said that the measures of protecting oneself from Covid-19 should be different now than it was during the lockdown due to the influx of people.

Almost all businesses are open. There are local leaders, volunteers and other security personnel. There is a need to sit down and revise how these guidelines can be enforced collectively," he said.

Poor attitude

Mayor Rubingisa said that there is a need for local leaders and other Rwandans to push those who are not following guidelines to do so.

"We need to own the fight of this pandemic. This is not the duty of the police only. People seem to only care when someone of authority reminds them. This should be our collective fight.