Consult Epidemiology unit before locking down areas-Health DG to PHs

11 April 2020 03:37 am Views - 3319

Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe yesterday instructed the country’s public health staff of the country that locking down of areas should be done in consultation with the Epidemiology Unit after careful risk analysis of the situation.

In a letter to regional health authorities, Dr. Jasinghe said that public health staff should do only home quarantining of contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
"If they feel that further measures like locking down of areas are necessary, it should be done in consultation with the Epidemiology Unit after careful risk analysis of the situation," he said.
He said the advisory has been sent after several incidents where locking down of small areas/villages by public health staff using their own discretion after reporting of confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported to him recently.