Change in quarantine strategy soon: DGHS Recipients of both vaccines could come to SL after spending two weeks before flying - NOCPCO

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

The quarantine strategy with regard to those who arrive from overseas will be changed soon, where those who received both vaccines against COVID-19 and spent two weeks in the countries where they live will be free to fly to Sri Lanka and go home after PCR tests, the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) said.  

One more review meeting with all Task Force members and other stakeholders who are fighting against the transmission of COVID-19, took place on Tuesday afternoon (16) at the NOCPCO, co-chaired by its head General Shavendra Silva and Director General of Health Services, Dr. Asela Gunawardena.  

Dr. Gunawardena said the number of days one has to spend for quarantining would be amended soon considering possibilities for home-bound quarantine process too.   
General Silva said  approval has been granted to review the current strategy with regards to the quarantine formalities of those who arrive from overseas.   
There will be a change in this quarantine strategy in the coming days and it will be intimated soon,” he said.  

The Commander said the Army will provide security to the newly-established quarantine centres run by Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).   
A total of 3,600 expatriates are to be quarantined in those centres, he said.  

It was also discussed at this meeting that a consignment of seven million Sputnik vaccines from Russia would be brought down to Sri Lanka soon.  

The Army chief said the COVID-19 vaccination process is continuing in Colombo and Gampaha districts as planned and the second dose will be inoculated in the second week of April as scheduled.  

Though there was a drop in detection of new COVID-19 cases, Chief of Defence Staff and Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that there are still a few patients being reported from clusters in Kandy, Morawaka and Katunayake areas.  

He said Covid-19 cases from those clusters were identified through PCR tests conducted on patients who arrived at hospitals.  Meanwhile, the Commander said that people are getting ready for the New Year celebration and they should be more careful to avoid group contacts and should strictly adhere to health guidelines.  General Silva said that a total of 46 corpses of COVID-19 victims have been so far buried at Ottamavadi.