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A responsible Avurudu 

09 Apr 2021

During this Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, we should ask ourselves one question: How far are we willing to go to protect ourselves and our loved ones? This question is pertinent because, unlike last year, we have a special responsibility concerning everyone’s protection this year. All we have to do is celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year only with close family and friends, and avoid, as much as possible, places and celebrations/events where large crowds gather. Last year, the people had no opportunity to celebrate the New Year due to the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions the authorities had imposed. Thanks to the authorities’ efforts and the people’s sacrifices, this year, although under various restrictions, the authorities have allowed New Year celebrations/events. However, how the people celebrate this year’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year is what decides whether the next year will see more freedom or more restrictions. It will also decide the country’s fate in the coming few months. The Ministry of Health recently issued a set of guidelines to be followed during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, in a bid to avert an increase of Covid-19 cases during the season, especially due to the fact that it is during this season that people visit their friends and families and participate in New Year events/games. The guidelines stipulate that integral aspects of the New Year season such as visiting relatives, sharing food, and engaging in collective outdoor activities should be minimised, and also that precautionary measures should be taken when holding New Year events/games. Some, such as public health inspectors (PHIs), expressed concerns with regard to the practicality of these guidelines, claiming that it is not possible to expect the public to fully adhere. In reality, what the authorities can do is very limited and their efforts are unlikely to bear fruit if the people do not extend their co-operation. When it comes to the practicality of holding New Year events/games in accordance with Covid-19 safety guidelines, the people can, in fact, do something more than the guidelines specify. One of the practical issues the PHIs pointed out was that it is difficult to hold New Year events/games with facemasks on and when having to maintain the one metre social distance. Since this is true in some cases, it is the people who should take the initiative to address it. If a certain New Year-related activity cannot be performed with masks on, or by maintaining the one metre distance, in that case, the public has a responsibility to avoid such activities, instead of participating without precautionary measures. Event organisers too have a responsibility to refrain from organising such events and to control the crowds that attend these events. In this context, they have a bigger responsibility to prioritise the people’s lives and the country’s situation, more than the income from or the success of their events. Also, not being able to travel as freely as in the pre-Covid-19 era would considerably confine people to homes and/or a limited number of places, which may in turn give rise to more household accidents such as firecracker-related accidents, drunken brawls, etc. Therefore, let us also not forget that such challenges exist on top of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Sinhala and Tamil New Year is an event that essentially celebrates harmony and unity, especially among families, neighbours, and friends. Ironically, this year, the people have to distance themselves from their loved ones physically, in order to strengthen the bonds with them, by protecting them from Covid-19. Big changes are born out of small actions, and whether Sri Lanka would have to face a third wave of Covid-19 at a time when other countries in regions such as the Asia Pacific are experiencing such and when developed countries in regions like Europe are imposing or extending lockdowns, depends on how the people celebrate this year’s Sinhala and Tamil New Year.  


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