24 December 2020 12:02 am
By Easwaran Rutnam
The new variant of the coronavirus detected in the UK can transmit faster, health officials in Sri Lanka said yesterday.
Dr. Shirani Chandrasiri, President, Sri Lanka College of Microbiologists told reporters that Sri Lanka is still studying the new variant.
She said that if anyone infected with the new variant is tested in Sri Lanka, they can be detected for the coronavirus but not the variant.
Speaking to reporters in Colombo yesterday, Dr. Shirani Chandrasiri said that international travel restrictions have been enforced in Sri Lanka to ensure the new variant does not enter Sri Lanka.
However, she said that even if someone infected with the virus enters Sri Lanka a PCR test will reveal that person is infected with Covid but would not show the variant.
“A simple PCR test will not show what variant the virus is, but it will show that the person is infected,” she said.
Dr. Shirani Chandrasiri said that more than focusing a lot on the new variant, the priority should be to ensure the coronavirus is controlled within the Western Province.
“Our focus now is to ensure people do not travel out of the Western Province and take the virus with them,” she said.
She said that the public have a social responsibility and if anyone refuses to comply with the health guidelines, then they are going against that responsibility.
Dr. Shirani Chandrasiri warned that the situation in Sri Lanka could get worse if steps are not taken to adapt to the new normal.