Chief Prelates and government-affiliated political party leaders call for a lockdown

The Chief Prelates of Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters requested President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to lock down the country for a week to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Chief Prelate of Malwathu Chapter Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Thera and Chief Prelate of Asgiri Chapter, Warakagoda Gnaratna Thera have written to the President calling for a week-long lockdown.

In the letter sent to the President they have praised the government action taken during the initial period when COVID-19 was detected and also the government’s efforts to carry out the vaccination programme.

However, the Prelates pointed out that even though such efforts were taken the situation had worsened with more cases and deaths being reported each day. Therefore they requested the President to close down the country as per health experts’ advice to avoid the spread of the disease as well as to bring the number of deaths down.

Meanwhile 10 political parties affiliated to the government have proposed to lock down the country for three weeks.

They too have written to the President requesting a lockdown, “as vaccinating age groups below 18 years would take at least another six weeks and the expected result a further month, and the situation could be much worse then.”

The parties have also made 7 proposals, some of which are, calling the government to take actions against persons who manipulate COVID statistics, to expedite the vaccination programme through private sector and to use traditional and western medicine practices to eradicate the disease.