Relaxing restrictions is like adding fuel to the fire: AMS President

• Relaxation should have commenced once we’ve achieved vaccination targets

 By Sheain Fernandopulle   

With the Delta variant being commonly detected making the number of patients increase, the relaxation of Covid restrictions is like adding “fuel to the fire”, the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) said.   3

AMS President Dr Lakkumar Fernando said relaxation should have commenced once we’ve achieved vaccination targets along with declining number of Covid 19 daily cases, may be in four to eight weeks from now.   

“We, as a professional body feel it is our prime responsibility to alert and warn the decision makers of the current grim situation. With such relaxations reaching the general public, who are already complacent in obeying guidelines, they will invariably start behaving like “free birds” aggravating the crisis further, “ he pointed out.   “Therefore, we are compelled to request the government to revisit their Covid-19 restriction protocols in the wake of surging numbers, specially with this deadly delta variant,” he added. 

 
Moreover, Dr Fernando said due to the exponential rise in the number of oxygen dependent patients, the capacity to accommodate them has virtually reached its breaking point.   

“With the increasing demand for oxygen, it will be a matter of few days to exceed the supply and hence resultant deaths due to lack of oxygen or more importantly due to the lack of oxygen delivery mechanism to the patient’s bedside. This crisis will be equally applicable to both public and private sectors, he added.