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Specialist docs urge restrictions be reimposed

03 Aug 2021

BY Dinitha Rathnayake The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) expressed their concern over the current situation in the country and requested the Government to revisit their Covid-19 restriction protocols in the wake of surging numbers of cases. They especially highlighted those infected with the highly transmissible B.1.617.2 Indian Delta variant of the virus and an impending crisis due to the absence of a patient bedside oxygen (O2) delivery mechanism. AMS President Dr. LakKumar Fernando noted that with the Delta variant being commonly detected, the increasing number of patients and, more disturbingly, an exponential rise in the number of oxygen dependent patients, the system’s capacity to accommodate them has virtually reached its tipping point. “With the increasing demand for oxygen, it will only be a matter of days before the supply is exhausted, and hence, deaths may result due to the lack of oxygen, or more importantly, due to the lack of an oxygen delivery mechanism to the patient’s bedside. This crisis will be equally applicable to both the public and private sectors. Therefore, the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions, in our opinion, will be adding fuel to the fire. With such relaxations, the public who are already complacent in obeying the health guidelines will invariably start behaving like free birds, thereby aggravating the crisis further,” he explained. He further said that it is therefore the medical specialists’ prime responsibility to alert and warn the decision-makers of the current grim situation. “In our opinion, relaxation should have commenced in four to eight weeks from now, once we had achieved the vaccination targets along with a declining number of Covid-19 daily cases. With declining economic performance indicators, we are quite aware of the urgency for the Government to get the economy back on track. However, impatient and hurried decisions to open the country up will invariably delay any expected economic growth due to surging Covid-19 related mortality and morbidity,” he added. The AMS also added that economists and other relevant parties have to be alive in the first place in order to develop the economy, noting that no tourist will come to our country unless and until we are a reasonably safe place with regard to the current pandemic. “We are quite disappointed and saddened by the silence of professionals who act in advisory and advocacy capacities for their lack of courage to inform the decision-makers of the truth and realities of the ground situation. We are almost certain that these advisors are very well aware of the current grim situation in the health sector. Therefore, we are compelled to request the Government to revisit their Covid-19 restriction protocols in the wake of surging numbers, especially with this deadly Delta variant. As scientific, practical, and pragmatic professionals, we strongly believe that we have to have an intact nation in order to revive the economy,” AMS emphasised collectively.


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