• Health DG to issue certain circulars to change current guidelines if necessary  
• Possibility that new variant entered country through tourists still unlikely  

By Sheain Fernandopulle   

While saying that the Health Ministry has nothing much to do with regard to detection of the new variant from several areas, Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said the Ministry was keen in taking necessary measures considering the situation, to make sure that people are protected.   

Speaking to Daily Mirror Dr. Herath said the Director General of Health Services would issue relevant circulars as soon as possible to change any of the current guidelines if necessary.  

However, he said all these issues came up, due to unavoidable situations where people were moving in various places.  

“One could argue that as to why the authorities didn’t impose any restrictions. If we imposed lockdown on certain areas, that would vehemently affect the daily income earners,” he said.  

“We tried our best not to impose the restrictions but continuously requested people to adhere to the health guidelines. However, this did not happen. As a result, we are facing all these problems,” he stressed.  
Dr. Herath said there is no specific way that the Health Ministry could control the prevailing situation and added the people should take on the responsibility and make sure that the virus is not transmitted among one another.   
Meanwhile, he said the possibility that the new variant entered the country through tourists was still unlikely and added further, that an inquiry would be conducted to ascertain the actual reason for it.