• Stringent health safety precautions to be taken and dissemination of information needs to be reinstated to avoid a catastrophe
• We desperately need to urge the public to wear masks and stick to health safety measures

Whilst claiming that the risk of COVID transmission has increased exponentially, Sri Lanka College of Pediatricians (SLCP) yesterday called for proper health precautions including wearing masks.

“Amidst the political and economic crisis while the country was still looking for answers, the world is now facing a re-emergence of Covid with higher mortality and morbidity. With the relaxation of health safety precautions and overcrowding, especially in public transport, the risk of Covid transmission has increased exponentially. The crowding at public places with reopening of schools and workplaces will contribute far more to this. Commuting through private means and even school transport services facing many challenges, the children were forced to use the crowded public transport frequently,” the SLCP said in a statement.

While facing the economic burden, the country will not have the power to face an emergency while maintaining optimal health services. Hence prevention is of utmost importance. Uninterrupted education, maintaining essential services while maintaining low case numbers is vital for the country to face this challenge within next few weeks to come. Hence stringent health safety precautions to be taken and dissemination of information needs to be reinstated to avoid a catastrophe. Rapid spread of infection through the community resulting in high morbidity and mortality will lead to an unbearable cost to the health care system.We desperately need to urge the public to wear masks and stick to health safety measures. Since the health system is already burdened with shortages of medicine and consumables, if the case numbers rise exponentially the curative sector will be faced with an almost impossible task. The Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians earnestly urge the authorities to inform the public to wear masks and adhere to strict health safety precautions to save vulnerable communities such as children.

We are ever willing to join hands in this tedious task with the Ministry of Health and the government in this endeavour to try and deal with the challenges. As the premier professional academic organization concerned with child healthcare, representing academics and clinicians responsible for the health of the future generations, we believe that we truly need to initiate and support the uninterrupted delivery of health care to the children of our land. However, in these dire circumstances, we would like to express our grave concern as prevention may be the most feasible option to our country at present.