Health Ministry tells those who may fall ill: Self-quarantine and seek medical attention forthwith

• Medical officers will soon meet school principals and teachers to recommend a new set of guidelines to be followed when schools reopen
• All restaurants can resume operations for takeaway options

By Jamila Husain 

As curfew is relaxed in all districts from today, the Health Ministry says anyone suffering from respiratory illness, fever or cough and cold should avoid leaving their homes and contact the ministry or public health officers in their area. 

A senior official of the Health Ministry said workplaces would be briefed on the guidelines to be followed if an employee falls ill while at work. They will be provided with relevant contact numbers of hospitals and ambulances. Social distancing must be maintained at all times. 

“Medical officers will soon meet school principals and teachers to recommend a new set of guidelines to be followed when schools reopen. Only then can a date be fixed to reopen schools,” the official said. 
Despite reports that registered restaurants could resume functions from today, the official said only hotels and restaurants that could maintain adequate spacing between dine-in customers would be granted permission to reopen. However, all restaurants can resume operations for takeaway options.  Sri Lanka has one more active COVID-19 cluster while a large number of those repatriated from Kuwait have tested positive for the virus in recent days. All new cases have been confined to quarantine centres. No public transmission of the virus has been reported within the past two weeks. 

Despite Colombo and Gampaha being opened up and people could now resume their ‘new normal’ lives, medical officers said masks would have to be worn at all times while maintaining hand hygiene. One-metre distance is a must. Taxis will be restricted to two passengers per hire until further notice.       

• Despite Colombo and Gampaha being opened up and people could now resume their ‘new normal’ lives, officers said masks would have to be worn at all times while maintaining hand hygiene