It is COVID-19 once again. The demon has raised its ugly head among the Sri Lankan public once again after two long months. This time relevant authorities are still trying their best to find out the original source of the virus. The most pathetic situation is this this latest COVID-19 patient had purposely delayed all authorities from taking action in order to ensure the safety of the people by hiding truth and telling lies.
In addition now some institutions have joined to hide the truth and details putting the entire country at risk. Latest media reports revealed yesterday that many others who are connected to this latest COVID-19 Cluster are not willing to come forward and tell the truth. According to the law it is a crime. This is not the first time such a thing has happened in Sri Lanka.
From the beginning Sri Lankan COVID-19 patients did it. They never told the truth first and some hid it forever putting the relevant authorities in trouble while some Sri Lankan COVID-19 patients told the truth after waiting for some time and putting the entire society in danger. Some moved here and there exactly knowing that they are COVID-19 positive. The best examples are the COVID-19 patient found from Mount Lavinia in mid-March and died later at IDH and the Sri Lankan COVID-19 patient who returned from the UK during the same time. They very clearly put the entire Sri Lankan society in danger purposely. They did not care about the people of the country and even their own family members. They were very selfish. They did not know that the punishment for their offence can be death. The relevant authorities should take legal action against such patients in order to do justice for the society.
In last March and April we were able to forgive some people for not wearing a mask in public, not keeping a minimum one meter distance from each other etc because the Health Guidelines issued by the Government were new to the people and there was a shortage of masks for a short time in early March. But by now, no way of excusing anyone or any institution for not following health guidelines issued to the people and institutions by the Government and the Health Authorities because the health guidelines including 56 sets of special health guidelines for various business ventures etc were issued a few months ago and by now all have gotten used to following them. The police cannot chase after people and institutions with a cane in their hands just like they do in India.
Before reporting this latest COVID-19 patient from Divulapitiya, the Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera told the media repeatedly that all health guidelines issued in order to prevent COVID-19 should be strictly followed by both people and all state and private institutions for a long time until a vaccine is available for the disease. But it seems by now the fear has vanished from the Sri Lankan public while some institutions ignore following health guidelines putting Sri Lanka at risk.
According to Dr. Samaraweera, it is possible for a person who underwent 14 day compulsory quarantine and got a negative PCR Test Result to develop COVID-19 and that is why health authorities recommend another 14 days of home quarantine period for them. But some individuals run away from quarantine centres putting the entire country at risk. Some individuals go to the rooms of others in Quarantine Centres without obeying rules and regulations. It is possible to COVID-19 to come back to Sri Lankan society once again.
Dr. Samaraweera pointed out that all should wear masks in public all the time covering both their nose and mouth and not only their mouth. People should keep one meter minimum distance in public and wash hands with soap and water for 30 seconds.
A standard hand sanitizer should be used whenever soap and water is not available. This is the only way of protecting the victory achieved by Sri Lanka while other countries in the world became full of dead bodies, overflowing ICUs and Corona patients.
It is pathetic to see some institutions now offer only soap or only water not both for the people. It is the sole responsibility of Institutional Heads to make sure that their respective institutions follow all health guidelines all the time. Some organizations are organizing huge public events which are not recommended at all. People, especially elders and who suffer from chronic diseases should always avoid visiting public places and crowded places. It is not recommended to hold any big events that attract big crowds, he added.
But it is very pathetic to see how Sri Lankan people and institutions ignore all the advice issued by health authorities. There are huge public gatherings everywhere in the country. People visit them without health guidelines and the organisers turn a blind eye. People always try to go out and move with crowds. It seems they cannot stay at home when they are free. No one keeps at least the one meter distance from another. Individuals come very close to each other and chat. Some private companies employ sick people. These companies never allow them to stay home. They threaten them and tell them they will be sacked if they do not report to work. Therefore employees with flu (can be Corona) report to work for the fear of losing their jobs.
We become the victims of COVID-19 simply due to three main mythical beliefs. They are, 'they are my relations so I do not need to follow health guidelines', they are my friends so I do not need to follow health guidelines' and `they are my colleagues so I do not need to follow health guidelines'. What is the point of washing your hands, coming through a decontamination chamber, cleaning the soles of your shoes and having a `chatting party' with a bunch of your colleagues without masks ? Maybe one of them can be positive for COVID-19 ! Who knows ?
If you invite Corona for dinner, Corona will have you for breakfast or definitely for lunch. So do not invite Corona for dinner. It is up to you. It is simple as that.
The most important fact is we can stay alive by doing the simplest things such as not touching our face, washing hands and staying at hand's length. Those things, especially staying at hand's length all the time from all is safe for all ! We don't need thousands of rupees to do so. Corona does not invade your home. You bring it home willingly.
You know what COVID-19 is by now and how to prevent it. But you still touch your face ! You do not stop there. You still do everything that you should not do in order to protect your life from COVID-19 ! Why ? It is because you do not believe that you will get infected. You think that it is others and not you. You think that your relations, friends etc are `safe’ for you which is a myth. Simply you cannot or do not like to be conscious all the time ! COVID-19 can be anywhere at any time.
Health authorities have already told us millions of times what to do and what not to do in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19. But still some of us do not care about such advice. Why ? It is because we think it is for others and not for us.
I will not get affected. Life is just like a drop of water staying on the edge of grass. Getting scared is not the solution. The only solution is to stay conscious every second and practice all health advice all the time.
There are three main very simple tasks we need to do in order to protect ourselves from COVID-19. Wearing a mask. All of us can wear a mask. Not like in March, now masks are freely available all over the country in all pharmacies and many other shops for a very low price. Some organizations distribute masks free and some institutions give you masks free. The mask should be worn covering the nose and mouth. Not only mouth. Covering the nose is essential.
blurb
There are three main very simple tasks we need to do in order to protect ourselves from COVID-19. Wearing a mask. All of us can wear a mask. Not like in March, now masks are freely available all over the country in all pharmacies and many other shops for a very low price. Some organizations distribute masks free and some institutions give you masks free. The mask should be worn covering the nose and mouth. Not only mouth. Covering the nose is essential.
