The Sri Lanka Medical Association’s (SLMA) Expert Committee has recommended the extension of the Quarantine Curfew until September 18.
In a three-point report, the SLMA has proposed recommendations with regard to priorities for vaccination, the third dose of a COVID-19 Vaccine and the islandwide lockdown.
“Enforcing stringent restrictive measures is essential to change the current trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ease the prevailing grim situation in the country.
The low stringency of the existing lockdown undermines the securing of the full benefits of these measures. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the number of lives that could be saved by restricting movement of people even at the current level of stringency, the lockdown should be further extended at least until September 18 and preferably until October 2.
Only such a measure will enable the country to achieve the “green status” in time to gain from tourism, and thus ensure an early economic recovery,” the SLMA said.
The SLMA said that a third dose as a booster to all people over 60 years should be after 6 months of the primary schedule.
“All persons over 60 years of age and those between 18-60 years of age with co-morbidities should be vaccinated with any of the available vaccines, as the first priority. An active effort must be made to achieve vaccine coverage in this group as early as possible. Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine for unvaccinated children between the ages of 12 to 18 years, with co-morbidities (chronic kidney disease, cancers, diabetes, chronic lung disease, cerebral palsy, chronic liver diseases, uncorrected cardiac lesions, thalassaemia) One dose of mRNA (Pfizer/Moderna) or AstraZeneca vaccine (as the second dose) to individuals who have been administered only one dose of Sputnik V, for the reason that the second dose of Sputnik V is unavailable at the present time. “Reopening the country and the resumption of normal activities ought to be done gradually. While activities performed under circumstances which favour low transmission of the virus such as agricultural work and those events conducted in open, well ventilated spaces such as outdoor markets may be permitted under strict public health guidelines, it would be essential to maintain stringency and disallow activities and events associated with a high risk of transmission such as the resumption of public transport systems, permitting wedding celebrations, and the re-opening of beauty saloons, restaurants, clubs, and bars, for a longer period of time,” the SLMA said in its report.
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