More quarantine hotels

The Shangri-La in Hambantota and some hotels in Pasikudah have been added to the list of designated locations for “paid quarantine” in Sri Lanka in view of an increasing number of chartered aircraft bringing more affluent migrants from COVID-19 stricken countries.

The new hotels were added last week after it was found that quarantine space was inadequate. However, the repatriation of ordinary workers from West Asia--those who cannot afford chartered flights and paid isolation--has now slowed to a trickle, particularly with the reopening of training schools that were used as centres.

Quarantine capacity has now shrunk at least by half and blue collar workers are the worst affected by this, officials said. The 14 hotels earlier designated are also now full, causing authorities to look around for more. The prices remain the same--Rs 12,500 each day for single occupancy and Rs 7,500 per person on sharing basis, with three packed meals.

Hundreds of Sri Lankan expatriates in higher income brackets have recently started escaping their pandemic-hit destinations abroad by chartering aircraft from SriLankan and other companies to return home.  These trips are tailored as packages comprising “paid PCR, transport and hotel quarantine”.