Sri Lanka government is planning to follow strict measures to control the spread of COVID-19 after withdrawing the curfew imposed in the Western Province since next Monday.
These measures include more PCR tests, tracing contacts, self-quarantining, transport management and following strict health measures at workplaces and businesses.
Army Commander Shavendra Silva said that the situation is under control and the majority of the new cases are identified from the people who are already under quarantine.
However, an increase in patients and deaths are also expected. Around 6,000 confirmed cases are treated in hospitals while around 450 are under investigations in hospitals. Five deaths occurred on 6 November 2020 bringing the total number of deaths to 29.
About 84,000 persons are under self-quarantine in 31,457 houses islandwide. In Western Province 40,676 belong to 13,911 families are currently undergoing self-quarantine, as revealed at the daily meeting of Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 Prevention held at the Presidential Secretariat on 6th November.
The public transport buses, trains and trishaws will have to keep a distance between seated passengers. For instance, buses require to be disinfected before the start of the trip and hand sanitizer must be available at both doors. Only one passenger must be seated on a double seat.
Bus owners' associations have demanded a fare increase but the Ministry of Transport has demanded them to first build up the trust among the public that they are following health guidelines.
The government opened more treatment centres and for instance, two Colleges of Education, Pasdunrata and Dharga Town, in Kalutara district were converted to corona treatment centres.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that he had instructed officials to strictly monitor the self-quarantine process now underway to contain the spread of COVID-19 virus even after curfew is lifted. The government will focus special attention to close associates and the areas they belong to in the event infected persons found in the community, and if necessary, the authorities are advised to declare those areas as isolated.
Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 Prevention discussed the situation in flats and estates in length.
The government decided to restrict the economic centres to the wholesale trade only. The trade activities should continue while strictly adhering to health guidelines and continuously conducting PCR tests. There is no need to obtain curfew passes for lorries transporting essential goods such as vegetables and fruits between districts.
The President's office says that every step has been taken to continue operations at the Free Trade Zone in Katunayaka. Random and continuous PCR tests will be carried out in the trade zone under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Sri Lanka Navy with the assistance of private hospitals.
The Health Ministry demanded the patients of other diseases not to avoid coming to hospitals in fear of COVID-19. Some COVID-19 deaths identified recently had taken place at home. The patients had not been admitted to hospitals before death.
