• No change in Covid protocols: Rambukwella
• SLAITO dismayed at Covid protocol change

The Government yesterday (14) effected an about-turn on Covid-19 protocols for touristsn arriving in the country, with Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella stressing that there was ‘no change’ in the existing regulations.

The move comes a day after the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) published a six-point protocol for all inbound tourists, calling on those who did not carry a valid Covid-19 vaccination card to submit a PCR report obtained 72 hours prior to arrival.

However, following an outcry by some in the tourism industry, Minister Rambukwella yesterday tweeted: “#lka entry status quo remains UNCHANGED despite news alerts in the past 12h. @MoH_SriLanka is in real-time discussion w/@WHO. Any statement pertinent to #Covid19SL will either be made from the Health Min or Presidential Sec. Urge all media institutions to adhere to this protocol.”

When The Sunday Morning contacted the Health Minister on whether the Ministry of Tourism or the SLTDA had consulted the Ministry of Health regarding the change to protocol, Rambukwella would not comment.

However, he stressed that such a decision could only be taken by medical experts at the Health Ministry, adding that while the Health Minister was engaging the World Health Organization (WHO) on the matter, no advice to change the protocols nor any decision by Sri Lanka to do so had been reached as of yesterday evening (14).

“The experts are at the Ministry of Health. The epidemiologists and the public health specialists are here, not at the Tourism Ministry or the SLTDA. The Government must speak in one voice, which on this matter comes from the Health Ministry. This is a matter related to health. We are

in consultation with the WHO,” Rambukwella said.

Meanwhile, issuing a statement, the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), a leading industry body, expressed disappointment over the SLTDA publication, which it claimed had been issued without consultation nor warning, and called on the Government to retract the

protocol and await advice from the WHO.

“SLAITO is shocked and dismayed at the latest ‘Covid Protocols’ put in place by Sri Lanka Tourism, without any warning or discussion with the industry or health authorities. We believe this is a job for the health authorities,” SLAITO stated.

Attempts by The Sunday Morning to contact the Minister of Tourism regarding the sudden change in protocol and its rollback failed.