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A document developed for decision-making
- The strategies of small-area isolation, preventing inter-provincial travel, short and intermittent lockdowns, and mild restraints on human movement will not work for the reasons explained in this document
- We argue that even under the most optimistic scenarios, it will be over six months before most of the high-risk population receives protection from vaccines across the country
- We call for an immediate countrywide lockdown for at least 14 continuous days as being essential to control this critical situation
- The current covid-19 situation in the country
- Why small-area isolation, preventing inter-provincial travel, short and intermittent lockdowns and mild restraints on human movement will not work
- The current covid-19 situation in Sri Lanka is grave, and needs swift and strategic intervention
- The strategies of small-area isolation, preventing inter-provincial travel, short and intermittent lockdowns and mild restraints on human movement will not work for the reasons explained in their document
- They argue that even under the most optimistic scenarios, it will be over 6 months before most of the high-risk population receives protection from vaccines across the country
- They call for an immediate countrywide lockdown for at least 14 continuous days as being essential to control this critical situation
- A countrywide lockdown for at least 14 continuous days is immediately necessary for the following reasons
- Only a degree of restriction of human movement enabled by a total countrywide lockdown of 14 days will lead to interrupting at least one (preferably two) cycles of virus transmission in the community. Such an intervention would give an opportunity for the health sector, currently at or beyond breaking point, to catch its collective breath, to face the future. Otherwise, exponential increase in the number of cases (and deaths) will lead to health staff succumbing and the consequent collapse of the health system
- Such an intervention can be signaled more than five days in advance so that the community, traders and businesses can make adequate preparations. It will give some level of certainty and instill confidence in the population, the business community and the health sector
- The daily wage earners will need to be given an allowance to tide over this period. But this investment will be amply repaid by the opportunity to get control of an epidemic that is rapidly spiraling out of control
- Access to essential commodities – food, fuel, medicines, health care will not be compromised because the necessary logistical arrangements can be made. The experience of the March-April 2020 lockdown will be an asset in planning and implementing the distribution of essential goods to the people
- All essential services to be functional
- A minimum number of grocery stores, pharmacies, and fuel stations to remain open in every district. A limited number of vegetable, fruit and fish/meat, bakery and other food delivery vehicles permitted to operate on the basis of permits
- Restaurants should be able to prepare food for delivery on order, but not allow in-house dining
- Government departments deemed essential, to keep an office open for a few hours a day and function with a skeleton staff on a roster basis
- Any organisation or enterprise may allow its employees to work from home
- A person can leave home only for a health need, any other emergency, or to purchase food supplies, but only one person can leave home at any one time for these purposes
- Gatherings of more than four people to be prohibited
- Outdoors agricultural work permitted to continue