Several months ago, the Covid-19 pandemic was the biggest challenge that Sri Lankans were dealing with, and it disrupted people’s everyday lives to a great extent. In a rather unexpected manner, however, the economic and political crises are now posing a much bigger and different threat.
With time and amidst the exacerbating economic crisis, a considerable segment of the population has stopped adhering to Covid-19 safety guidelines. This situation was clearly seen during the ongoing protests at the Galle Face Green, and some medical professionals had raised concerns about it.
However, despite the fact that the threat of Covid-19 is still very real and cannot be ignored, several days ago, newly-appointed Health Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana said that wearing facemasks in public places will no longer be mandatory, except in public transport services and in certain closed places.
However, the health authorities went back on their decision within a matter of just three days. A communiqué signed by Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena yesterday said that taking into account the large public gatherings taking place in Sri Lanka, the lifting of the mandatory requirement to wear facemasks in public places has been suspended, and that wearing facemasks will be required in accordance with the instructions that had been issued before.
According to statistics on Covid-19 cases and related deaths issued by the health authorities, the threat of Covid-19 has waned considerably. However, that is not a good enough reason to stop disregarding its severity, especially due to the fact that more and more variants of the virus keep emerging unexpectedly.
Even though the first decision came as a surprise to many, amidst the economic crisis, a considerable number of people had started ignoring the importance of wearing face masks regardless, and in this context, a decline in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths is not a signal that the pandemic has come to an end.
The Health Minister’s statement was unexpected, and most importantly, he did not cite any reasons as to why the Government took such a crucial decision hastily at a time when public gatherings are spreading rapidly. There is a question as to why the Health Minister did not take into account the factors, such as prevailing public gatherings, that the DGHS cited when he suspended the former’s decision.
Another matter that needs to be looked into is whether the DGHS – one of the main Health Ministry officials that is tasked with handling Covid-19 management related activities – was involved in the making of the decision that the Health Minister announced.
If the health authorities did not take into consideration clearly visible risk factors, i.e., protests, when making decisions that affect an entire population and the economic crisis-hit health sector, or, if they decided to change their decision despite having made the first decision based on justifiable factors, that could lead to a very dangerous situation. As an institution responsible for ensuring the people’s health, the Health Ministry, or the Health Minister, should issue an explanation in this regard, especially as to what reasons led to the first decision.
However, it should be noted that despite the health authorities’ indecisiveness, the majority of the people in public places were seen wearing face masks even after Prof. Jayasumana’s statement that face masks were no longer mandatory. It is a sign that the people are vigilant about the threat of Covid-19, regardless of what the health authorities say, and are taking responsibility for their own health and safety as well as the wellbeing and comfort of those they come in contact with.
Such vigilance among the public should continue, especially at a time when the health sector has also been severely affected by the prevailing economic crisis which has affected Sri Lanka’s ability to face another Covid-19 wave. The authorities too have a responsibility to guide the people to remain vigilant, and taking fact-based, properly planned decisions, is their duty.Irrational unmasking
21 Apr 2022
Irrational unmasking
21 Apr 2022
Several months ago, the Covid-19 pandemic was the biggest challenge that Sri Lankans were dealing with, and it disrupted people’s everyday lives to a great extent. In a rather unexpected manner, however, the economic and political crises are now posing a much bigger and different threat.
With time and amidst the exacerbating economic crisis, a considerable segment of the population has stopped adhering to Covid-19 safety guidelines. This situation was clearly seen during the ongoing protests at the Galle Face Green, and some medical professionals had raised concerns about it.
However, despite the fact that the threat of Covid-19 is still very real and cannot be ignored, several days ago, newly-appointed Health Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana said that wearing facemasks in public places will no longer be mandatory, except in public transport services and in certain closed places.
However, the health authorities went back on their decision within a matter of just three days. A communiqué signed by Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena yesterday said that taking into account the large public gatherings taking place in Sri Lanka, the lifting of the mandatory requirement to wear facemasks in public places has been suspended, and that wearing facemasks will be required in accordance with the instructions that had been issued before.
According to statistics on Covid-19 cases and related deaths issued by the health authorities, the threat of Covid-19 has waned considerably. However, that is not a good enough reason to stop disregarding its severity, especially due to the fact that more and more variants of the virus keep emerging unexpectedly.
Even though the first decision came as a surprise to many, amidst the economic crisis, a considerable number of people had started ignoring the importance of wearing face masks regardless, and in this context, a decline in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths is not a signal that the pandemic has come to an end.
The Health Minister’s statement was unexpected, and most importantly, he did not cite any reasons as to why the Government took such a crucial decision hastily at a time when public gatherings are spreading rapidly. There is a question as to why the Health Minister did not take into account the factors, such as prevailing public gatherings, that the DGHS cited when he suspended the former’s decision.
Another matter that needs to be looked into is whether the DGHS – one of the main Health Ministry officials that is tasked with handling Covid-19 management related activities – was involved in the making of the decision that the Health Minister announced.
If the health authorities did not take into consideration clearly visible risk factors, i.e., protests, when making decisions that affect an entire population and the economic crisis-hit health sector, or, if they decided to change their decision despite having made the first decision based on justifiable factors, that could lead to a very dangerous situation. As an institution responsible for ensuring the people’s health, the Health Ministry, or the Health Minister, should issue an explanation in this regard, especially as to what reasons led to the first decision.
However, it should be noted that despite the health authorities’ indecisiveness, the majority of the people in public places were seen wearing face masks even after Prof. Jayasumana’s statement that face masks were no longer mandatory. It is a sign that the people are vigilant about the threat of Covid-19, regardless of what the health authorities say, and are taking responsibility for their own health and safety as well as the wellbeing and comfort of those they come in contact with.
Such vigilance among the public should continue, especially at a time when the health sector has also been severely affected by the prevailing economic crisis which has affected Sri Lanka’s ability to face another Covid-19 wave. The authorities too have a responsibility to guide the people to remain vigilant, and taking fact-based, properly planned decisions, is their duty.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!