22 December 2020 03:20 pm
Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva said today that the Health Services Director General and other health officials will take action on the new strain of COVID-19 in the UK after studying it properly.
He said there were reports that the new strain could spread fast.
Countries across the globe have shut borders and banned travelling to and from the UK due to fears over a highly infectious new coronavirus strain, which is causing travel chaos and raising prospects of food shortages.
The strain, referred to by some experts as the B.1.1.7 lineage, is not the first new variant of the pandemic virus to emerge, but is said to be up to 70% more transmissible than the previously dominant strain in the UK.
Meanwhile, the Army chief said they were not hoping to impose restrictions or curfew aiming the festive season.
“The country has to function, while we take measures to prevent COVID-19 spread. At this moment, there is no imminent need to impose quarantine curfew or to isolate areas. However, if there is a need, action would be taken accordingly,” Lt. Gen. Silva said (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)