SL entry status quo remains unchanged:Keheliya

• Sri Lanka Tourism says new guidelines will be implemented  from January 20

By Ajith Siriwardana 

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said Sri Lanka entry status quo would remain unchanged whereas the Sri Lanka Tourism issued new guidelines on January 13, which were later deferred to be implemented till January 20, 2023.

Issuing a statement, Sri Lanka Tourism declared new protocol and Procedures for all inbound tourists on January 13, which said that uniformity in protocol and procedures should be followed by all incoming tourists to Sri Lanka.

However, Sri Lanka Tourism later said in a statement that implementation of the new guidelines would be deferred till January 20, 2023 considering the tourists who have already made travel arrangements to visit Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka Tourism said a review meeting with relevant authorities including health officials would be held on January 17, 2023, after which a detailed guideline will be issued. However, Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella in a Twitter post said that Ministry of Health is in real-time discussion with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and any statement pertinent to Covid-19 in Sri Lanka will either be made by the Health Ministry or Presidential Secretariat.