SLMA recommends extension of ‘lockdown’ till June 28
The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) has urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to extend the ‘lockdown’ (travel restrictions) for two weeks more (till June 28) and ban tourists from countries that have an ‘ongoing COVID-19 transmission’.
On Friday, the Government extended the lockdown by a week till June 21.
In a letter to the President on Friday, the SLMA also requested more stringent implementation of movement restrictions; increased surveillance for COVID-19 in factories and workplaces that continue to function during the lockdown period; an increase in the number of PCR tests done randomly; and an improvement in the communication strategy to get better compliance from people during the lockdown.
It said the travel restrictions so far have prevented the health system, which was running at full capacity at the time, from collapsing. The timely implementation of the “movement restrictions” prevented a major disaster to the healthcare system and the country as a whole, the letter said.
“We find that the number of new cases, though still high, have remained fairly stable.
This is a major improvement compared to the time before the lockdown when the COVID incidence was rising exponentially,” it said.
The SLMA noted that it will take two to three weeks for the “lockdown” to have an impact on case numbers, and even longer, on deaths. This is because of the incubation period of the disease, the time it takes for the disease to progress and for people to seek healthcare.
“Very early information we are receiving from the health system suggests that the number of cases in the community, wards and ICUs may be showing the first signs of decreasing. But if the current lockdown measures are lifted at this point in time, we are certain that the number of cases will exponentially start rising again,” the SLMA said in recommending an extension of the lockdown till June 28.