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Govt. insiders urge 3-week lockdown

20 Aug 2021

  • Ven. Rathana Thera, Vasu, Vitarana, Wimal, Gammanpila, etc. write to Prez
  • Claim ‘Sri Lanka could become mass funeral site in 10 weeks’
  • Call for action against statistics manipulators
By Pamodi Waravita and Dinitha Rathnayake A group of leaders and representatives of political parties affiliated to the Sri Lanka Nidahas Podujana Sandanaya (Sri Lanka People’s Freedom Alliance)-led alliance Government have written to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday (19), requesting him to lock down the country for at least three weeks. “It would take at least six more weeks to vaccinate the entire population above the age of 18 years and at least a month for the effects of the vaccination programme to be felt. The country is at threat of becoming a mass funeral site within the next 10 weeks. An expert committee from the World Health Organisation (WHO) has mentioned a similar threat to Sri Lanka. This is why we are making these proposals,” the letter explained. The letter was co-signed by Ape Jana Bala Party Parliamentarian Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, Democratic Left Front Leader and Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Lanka Sama Samaja Party Leader and MP Prof. Tissa Vitarana, National Freedom Front Leader and Minister Wimal Weerawansa, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader and Cabinet Co-Spokesman Udaya Gammanpila, National Congress MP A.L.M. Athaullah, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP affiliated to the Eksath Mahajana Party Tiran Alles, G. Weerasinghe attached to the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, SLPP MP affiliated to the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party Asanka Navarathna, and Yuthukama National Organisation Leader and SLPP MP Gevindu Cumaratunga. The letter claimed that such a lockdown is the only way to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases to a level that the health sector can handle and manage. “We understand the huge economic challenge that the country is now facing and are sensitive to the further impact on the economy if Sri Lanka goes into a lockdown. However, without locking down the country for at least three weeks, the number of Covid-19 cases cannot be reduced to an amount that is bearable for the health sector,” the leaders and representatives stated. The letter has made six other proposals to the President with the aim of reducing the number of Covid-19 cases, reducing the stress on the general public by reducing the number of daily deaths that are occurring due to the virus, providing much-needed relief to the healthcare sector, and building more confidence in the public to participate more freely and safely in the country’s economic activities. Notably, the leaders and representatives have called for the involvement of private sector individuals, retired professionals, and students of the healthcare sector in the current vaccination process in order to ensure that the vaccination drive takes place at a faster pace. “It is also important to prioritise those over the age of 60 years and other at-risk groups for the Covid-19 vaccines,” they added. Commenting on media reports and allegations that the accurate statistics of the current situation are being manipulated by certain officials, these leaders and representatives have called for action to be taken against all guilty parties as it is a “joke” to expect that the manipulation of accurate figures could lead to anything positive for the country. The remaining proposals include the establishment of an all-party mechanism consisting of economic and health advisors to combat the current situation, and public committees consisting of religious, political, and other independent leaders to ensure that the health guidelines are followed. The WHO has stated that the Delta (B.1.617.2) Covid-19 variant of Indian origin is at least two times as transmissible as the original virus. Sri Lanka is currently facing a severe spread of the Delta variant in all districts. The Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) said that 3,676 new cases and 170 deaths were reported on 18 August due to the virus.    


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