By Mihi Perera
Referring to the Covid-19-positive cases detected in the hotel industry — at Hilton Colombo and Shangri-La Colombo specifically — The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) President Sanath Ukwatte said that no safety measure in place is 100% foolproof.
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THASL President Sanath Ukwatte[/caption]
Ukwatte, speaking to The Morning, shared that upon identifying temperature hikes in the employees of both hotels, the staff were immediately isolated, the hotels were shut down, and all the staff
present at the time were tested; the staff are being kept in the hotel for a few days until the results are released.
“With the latest development, most hotels have been asked to minimise staff movement for 10 days to two weeks. With staff who travel by public transport, we try to keep them in the hotels and provide them accommodation.
"We’re doing temperature checks on all the employees three times a day and recording them. We also make sure a doctor is in-house or nearby, so we can immediately call for medical advice and help.
“In the case of Shangri-La, the person detected is from the banquet hall. That area has been isolated,” commented Ukwatte.
He added: “This is a pandemic and the virus spreads with human contact. Hotels are places where people gather. They are high-risk areas. We have all these protocols in place — we do temperature checks on our staff as well as on our guests so we can detect a fever. We have our guests register their names, ID numbers, and addresses for contact tracing.”
Ukwatte urged all Sri Lankans to be very careful. “Hotels can take all the precautions, but if visitors bring the virus to the hotels, that’s another problem,” he said, adding: “The hotel industry is unfortunately severely impacted with this virus. If you find that you are unwell, we kindly urge you not to visit hotels. Co-operate with us and give us the support that we require right now.”
However, Ukwatte noted: “Nothing is 100% foolproof. Outsiders who come in for weddings, etc. can bring in the virus. There’s a risk there.”
THASL President Sanath Ukwatte[/caption]
Ukwatte, speaking to The Morning, shared that upon identifying temperature hikes in the employees of both hotels, the staff were immediately isolated, the hotels were shut down, and all the staff
present at the time were tested; the staff are being kept in the hotel for a few days until the results are released.
“With the latest development, most hotels have been asked to minimise staff movement for 10 days to two weeks. With staff who travel by public transport, we try to keep them in the hotels and provide them accommodation.
"We’re doing temperature checks on all the employees three times a day and recording them. We also make sure a doctor is in-house or nearby, so we can immediately call for medical advice and help.
“In the case of Shangri-La, the person detected is from the banquet hall. That area has been isolated,” commented Ukwatte.
He added: “This is a pandemic and the virus spreads with human contact. Hotels are places where people gather. They are high-risk areas. We have all these protocols in place — we do temperature checks on our staff as well as on our guests so we can detect a fever. We have our guests register their names, ID numbers, and addresses for contact tracing.”
Ukwatte urged all Sri Lankans to be very careful. “Hotels can take all the precautions, but if visitors bring the virus to the hotels, that’s another problem,” he said, adding: “The hotel industry is unfortunately severely impacted with this virus. If you find that you are unwell, we kindly urge you not to visit hotels. Co-operate with us and give us the support that we require right now.”
However, Ukwatte noted: “Nothing is 100% foolproof. Outsiders who come in for weddings, etc. can bring in the virus. There’s a risk there.”