• Sri Lankans urged to take situation seriously
• Public likely to face most challenging chapter
•  Vaccination alone won’t help

By Easwaran Rutnam 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Sri Lankans to take the latest coronavirus surge seriously as daily infections continue to rise rapidly.  Dr. Olivia Nieveras, the Officer-In-Charge of the WHO in Sri Lanka said the most challenging chapter maybe at hand. 

In a video issued by the WHO in Sri Lanka yesterday, Nieveras said that the Government including the Ministry of Health and frontline workers are working tirelessly to control the pandemic. 

She said that the WHO and the UN are ready to support Sri Lanka in any way possible to save lives and control the spread of the virus. 

“But the health workers, security forces and other local authorities cannot do this alone,” she said. 
Nieveras said that vaccines are a powerful tool that are key to control the coronavirus pandemic. 

However, she said that recent surges around the world prove that countries cannot vaccinate their way out of this problem. 

“We have evidence based tools to reduce the spread,” Dr. Olivia Nieveras added.  This includes avoiding crowded places, confined and closed spaces and close contact settings. 

She also noted that in Sri Lanka the ‘DReAM’ is followed which includes maintaining social distancing, practising respiratory hygiene, washing of hands, disinfecting surfaces and wearing a face mask and staying home if not well. 

“We must follow this recommended behaviour to protect ourselves, our families and our loved ones. We will overcome this crisis if we all do our part,” she said. 

Nieveras said that the pandemic is the most challenging crisis the world has faced since the second world war. 

• We must follow this recommended behaviour to protect ourselves, our families and our loved ones. We will overcome this crisis if we all do our part
• The WHO and the UN are ready to support Sri Lanka in any way possible to save lives and control the spread of the virus