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PCR tests for all those arriving at BIA from today: Minister

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1 June 2020 01:05 pm - 27     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said today the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test would be conducted on all passengers arriving in the country from today ( June1) at the Katunayaka airport and that all those who come to Sri Lanka will be either hospitalized or sent for quarantine following the result of the test.

He said this step was taken following a decision taken by the Presidential Task Force appointed to control the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said at a media briefing held in Udugampala that the Katunayake airport is scheduled to open for tourists from August.  “Although the Katunayake airport will be opened for tourists in August, all those tourists arriving in the country would be subjected to PCR test,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said the government’s intention is to repatriate all Sri Lankans stranded overseas and that programme would not stop.

“Nearly 10,000 Sri Lankans stranded in 21 countries have been brought to the country as of now and another 20,000 are expecting to return.

The minister said those Sri Lankans will also be brought back in the country in a proper mechanism. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)

 


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  Comments - 27

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  • leo Monday, 01 June 2020 01:14 PM

    This is what is needed and a good move. The results should be given within a few hours.

    Paul Monday, 01 June 2020 01:33 PM

    Open it before, from jul for tourists like other countrys!!

    Sss Monday, 01 June 2020 02:30 PM

    HOW POLITICIANS BRAIN OPENS NOW???

    mohamed Rizvi Monday, 01 June 2020 03:07 PM

    Airport should levy an additional airport tax that would cover the cost of Covid 19 test and two days of hotel stay in and around the airport /Colombo. Setup a Covid 19 test centre within the airport and send them to those designated hotels until the report is received, which generally takes about 48hrs. If negative they could be allowed to go to their respective homes. If positive, they could be taken to IDH. The additional tax could be approximately Rs. 25K, unlike the proposed luxury quarantine for 14 days proposed by the government which would cost about 150 K, this will be acceptable to all. Just, assuming 1000 would come every day, that's a revenue about 25Million a day. This would also boost up the travel and hotel trade, which are totally grinded to a halt. Above was my suggestion to SLBFE and Hon. Minister Pavithra, on her FB, trying to convey this since almost 2 weeks

    Shaf Tuesday, 02 June 2020 02:11 PM

    I second this opinion. It is the most feasible thing to do at this time.

    Roshanaly Monday, 01 June 2020 03:09 PM

    If even the result is negative, they should sent to quarantine for 14 days.

    CITIZEN Monday, 01 June 2020 03:24 PM

    THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN STARTED BEFORE. HOWEVER, THIS IS A GOOD MOVE SPECIALLY TO THOSE SRI LANKANS PLANNING TO VISIT HOME ON SHORT HOLIDAYS

    Sarah Monday, 01 June 2020 03:30 PM

    Agree with Paul, this country has had no community cases - keep the testing protocols and open the airport from mid/end June or 01 July latest. Other countries with much worse numbers are already proposing to open!

    JoseP Monday, 01 June 2020 03:34 PM

    Country will be opened to tourist in August but some citizens who are desperately waiting to come back home (after losing foreign jobs etc) have to wait for another 7 months at current repatriation rate.

    Hans Monday, 01 June 2020 04:03 PM

    many countries will relax in July, relax earlier. we are waiting for you to visit .

    Ralahamy Monday, 01 June 2020 04:54 PM

    This is the most sensible decision taken instead of Dr.Jaasinghe making adverse comments on foreign countries. Was he sitting on top of brain?

    shyamale Mathew Monday, 01 June 2020 04:55 PM

    If the passengers are sent to either hospitals or QC's the PCR results should be instant isnt it?? If not its not gonna be practical and disorderly for the airport staff.

    Daniel Monday, 01 June 2020 06:05 PM

    Totally agree with Sarah and Paul. They

    Live in Peace Monday, 01 June 2020 06:08 PM

    Brought from only those stranded in Europe, Australia, USA, Canada, China, India and from few other countries as a result of political influence. But Sri Lankan stranded in the Middle-East brought by those countries in their expenses

    Gusta Monday, 01 June 2020 07:19 PM

    what about Resident visa holders missing out work for many weeks already - do they get handeled like tourist ..........

    JANAKA. Monday, 01 June 2020 07:39 PM

    AGREE WITH MOHAMED RIZVI SUGGESTION , GOOD MOVE THIS IS A BETTER WAY TO HANDLE EVERY ONE WILL BE HAPPY WITH THIS DECISION. CHARGE AROUND 25 K FROM EACH PERSON FOR 48 HOURS UNTIL THE PCR TEST RESULT AND IF NEGATIVE SEND THEN HOME IS POSITIVE SEND THEM TO QUARANTINE CENTER

    GM Monday, 01 June 2020 08:32 PM

    Once it's open in August, is that all tourist need hospitalized (until recover) or sent for quarantine (14 days) on the result of the PCR test? who is paying those costs? this need to be advised well in advance before reach to country, you know some countries facing real difficult time and high stress persons want to jump where less patients with less stress, this will be able to get them a better treatment than their home countries, What is the estimating numbers expecting per day and what are those countries, do the research and analyse before open the border for everyone, otherwise essential services (government and private) will overcrowded and end up with more lost than income, what about selected countries if they are under control at that point of time and PCR test before leave the airport (require to mentioned valid authority and number of days before departure)?

    Kingsley Wijesinhe Monday, 01 June 2020 10:11 PM

    Our policy makers don't seem to be living in the real world. Would any tourist, unless he is raving mad, want to go to a country and be quarantined for two weeks before starting his holiday which might be about a week?

    Sid Monday, 01 June 2020 10:41 PM

    If you tell a tourist that you will be subject to a PCR test on arrival and if found positive you will be put into quarantine do you think the tourists will come to Sri Lanka? Hon Minister you are living in dream world

    Ulli Stolzmann Monday, 01 June 2020 11:28 PM

    Sri Lanka has completely different problems than Covid 19 (dengue, rabies and the people who do not have a livelihood at the moment who live from tourism). do you think that the tourists really want to come to Sri Lanka with these measures ....

    Jasmine Tuesday, 02 June 2020 02:14 AM

    Exactly. All these foolish suggestions from a bunch of philistines clearly living in some other reality

    Nick Tuesday, 02 June 2020 01:06 AM

    Сompletely agree with Sid. Which tourists will go to Sri Lanka by these rules? Only complete fools.

    Jasmine Tuesday, 02 June 2020 02:16 AM

    All these foolish suggestions from a bunch of philistines living in some other reality

    Edie Tuesday, 02 June 2020 03:43 AM

    The ideal situation is if the Airport had its own hotel adjoining the airport so that no one could walk out of the Airport with COVID19 virus infection. Is it the PCR TEST or the RAPID TEST?

    Premalal Perera Tuesday, 02 June 2020 05:49 AM

    Do we have a Covid danger here? We just had a great funeral for a great Sri Lankan leader. Where was Covid?

    Devendra William Tuesday, 02 June 2020 09:29 AM

    Fully agree with Sid and Ulli

    Analyser Friday, 05 June 2020 11:44 AM

    Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test would be conducted on ALL passengers arriving in the country he says. But American diplomat got away. Typical Sri Lanka - Thonda and Americans do not comprise in ALL.


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