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Medical experts oppose countrywide lockdown
View(s):A group of medical professionals have declared that they do not support a country-wide lockdown unless there is evidence of uncontrolled community transmission, as this would severely affect the economy and the livelihoods of non-salaried and self-employed people.
This was stated in a letter collectively written by Prof. Janaka de Silva of the University of Kelaniya, Prof. Sarath Lekamwasam of Ruhuna University, Prof. S.A.M. Kularatne of the University of Peradeniya, Prof. Sisira Siribaddana of the Rajarata University, Prof. Saroj Jayasinghe of the University of Colombo and Prof. Kamani Wanigasuriya of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura.
The letter has been copied to to Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak, Health Ministry Secretary Dr. S H Munasinghe and Director General of Health Services Dr Asela Gunawardena.
While discouraging a country-wide lockdown, the professors said they were of the view that lockdowns and restrictions on transport to and from high prevalence areas were a necessary component of epidemic control and should be implemented when required to isolate outbreaks of infection, at police area, district or even provincial level.
The professors said the current strategies of controlling Covid-19 infection in Sri Lanka need to be revised and streamlined to make them more efficient and also to normalise day-to-day activities at community level.
“The current outbreak may have resulted from the complacency of institutions, omissions on the part of health personnel to adhere to strict protocols and an inability or unwillingness by a significant the proportion of the public to follow precautionary measures necessary to prevent spread. This may have occurred because of the dearth of sustained messaging from credible leaders in the health sector (e.g. Secretary Health, DGHS, DDGPH) whose advice are respected and accepted by the public,” the letter said.