• Strictly adhere to health guidelines
• Reduce merry-making events to the minimum

By Bandu Thambaita 

Health Services Director General Dr. Asela Gunawardene who expressed concern over the lack of public cooperation to bring the pandemic under control, said it was left to the people to decide whether they would hold wedding receptions, parties, public functions and enjoy as in the past, or reduce merry making events to the barest minimum to pave way for the reopening of schools and universities. 

Addressing a ceremony to handover two PCR machines to the Kalutara Health Institute, he said the spread of the disease had prevented the reopening of schools in the Western Province as yet. He pointed out that the clusters of patients had originated from wedding receptions, parties and funerals where the participants were at the risk of contracting the disease. Dr. Gunawardene, requested the public to strictly adhere to the health guidelines without blaming the health authorities for the spread of the disease. “The Health sector plan is to bring the second wave of the pandemic without locking down the country.’’