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New variant: Colombo contact tracing still ongoing

17 Feb 2021

  • SJB foursome decline vaccine

  With the detection of the UK variant of the coronavirus in Sri Lanka on 12 February, contact tracing of the patients found from Colombo, Avissawella and quarantine centres is still ongoing, The Morning learnt. Speaking to The Morning yesterday (16), Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said that their contacts are still being traced, but that the total number of contacts traced could not be provided. “We are still tracing the contacts of all patients. Many of these UK variant cases were reported from quarantine centres, and we had begun tracing their contacts from the moment they tested positive.” Samples of Covid-19 positive patients will be sent for genomic sequencing tests to conduct further tests on the new variant, The Morning learnt from State Ministry of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Secretary Dr. Amal Harsha De Silva. “It has not been clinically proven whether this variant is spreading faster in Sri Lanka yet. But it is too soon to tell, since the behaviour of the virus changes. We are sending these samples to be sequenced.” Dr. De Silva said that no travel restrictions are being planned to be imposed yet, but requested the public to minimise travel. He added that there is no evidence to say that Colombo is facing a higher risk from the new variant. Yesterday was the second day of the rollout of the Oxford Astra-Zeneca COVISHILED vaccine for the Western Province public, including those from high risk areas in Colombo, as well as MPs. Accordingly, members of the public facing a high risk of contracting the virus received the vaccination yesterday alongside 20 MPs. “We started rolling it out on groups such as medical students, nursing students, persons facing a higher risk of transmission, Police officers, vendors from the Manning Market, Colombo Municipal Council workers, and harbour and airport workers,” said Ministry of Health Epidemiology Unit Consultant Epidemiologist Dr. Deepa Gamage While The Morning learnt from Parliament that 20 MPs had received the vaccine yesterday at the Army Hospital, it was also learnt that four MPs from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in the Opposition have refrained from receiving the vaccine. When contacted, SJB MP Harin Fernando said that he refrained from receiving the vaccine to allow another person to receive the vaccine. “I will not use my Parliamentary privilege to get vaccinated. There are many others who should receive the vaccine before me, and I want them to get the opportunity. The amount of vaccines available as of now is limited, and I will receive the vaccine when at least one million of the population has been vaccinated.” SJB MP Mujibur Rahman told The Morning that the decision of the four SJB MPs, including himself, to refrain from receiving the vaccine were personal choices to allow more members of the public to be vaccinated, and that it was not at all a Party decision. MPs Manusha Nanayakkara and Hesha Withanage are the other SJB MPs who refrained from receiving the vaccine yesterday.  

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