• The government’s dual approach is to manage the spread of the virus and run the country without a total lock down
• Isolation procedures continue unabated as required

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said that heads of government departments and other workplaces have been instructed to minimise travel between districts when calling employees for duties.   

  He said the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, issued a special order last week to maintain their workplace with a minimum number of employees.   “We instructed the ministry secretary to inform the heads of institutions not to call any non-essential employees who are coming from other districts for duty as much as possible,” the Commander said.   Meanwhile, the Commander said at a Covid-19 task force meeting held at the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) at Rajagiriya on Sunday that the government’s dual approach is to manage the spread of the virus and run the country without a total lockdown, although isolation procedures continue unabated as required.   

Discussing about the vaccination, he said that Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara Districts are the regions with the highest number of positive cases and instructions have already been issued to all ground commanders, General Officers Commanding and Security Force Commanders to facilitate transport needs, if any medical officer turns to them for transport assistance to carry patients.   

Secretary to Health Ministry Major General Sanjaya Munasinghe, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena and Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority General Daya Ratnayake (Retd) also attended the meeting.   General Silva said that the WHO in response to the President’s request has promised more support for supply of necessary vaccines to Sri Lanka. 

• The WHO in response to the President’s request has promised more support for supply of necessary vaccines to Sri Lanka