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All Covid policies, regulations under review

05 Feb 2021

  • 15-member committee appointed

  • New website for all Covid info soon

  A 15-member committee under the State Ministry of Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and Covid Disease Control is currently reviewing all pandemic-related policies and regulations and assessing how it should be revised, The Morning learnt. “It has been nearly a year since the Covid-19 pandemic started in Sri Lanka. As such, the State Ministry appointed a committee at the beginning of this year to review all the regulations related to the control of Covid-19,” State Ministry of Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and Covid Disease Control Secretary Dr. Amal Harsha De Silva told The Morning yesterday (4). When queried as to whether the said committee would look at changing the current quarantine process, Dr. De Silva said that it too would be reviewed in time to come. “Currently, only second contacts of Covid-19-positive patients can undergo home quarantine. First contacts have to be quarantined at an institution. In time to come, we would look into whether any changes are needed with regard to such matters,” noted Dr. De Silva. He also pointed out that these are decisions that need to be taken on the basis of scientific evidence. Hence, the committee appointed by the State Ministry includes three epidemiologists, three virologists, two physicians, two paediatricians, two consultant community physicians, two surgeons, and a neurologist. Meanwhile, speaking to The Morning yesterday, the National Operation Centre for Prevention of Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Head, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that based on the consultations they had already had in this regard, the quarantine process in place may not be changed at present. “As of now, we are discussing changes to the current quarantine process, but we can’t assure that it will take place,” said Silva. The State Ministry of Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and Covid Disease Control is also due to launch a new website next week where all Covid-19-related information and regulations in Sri Lanka could be accessed in one place.


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