Compliance with COVID-19 safety guideline by people reduced

By Sheain Fernandopulle   

While saying that people have taken the COVID-19 safety guideline for granted, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera urged people to comply with COVID-19 regulations until risk factors are eliminated.  

 He said they had observed that the compliance with COVID-19 safety guideline by people has been reduced.   “If people are not adhering to the health guidelines, the authorities will even have to resort to legal measures to ensure that the public adhere to health safety rules,”   

The Chief Epidemiologist thus emphasised the need to follow health guidelines, for instance, wearing masks properly and observing good hand hygiene, and maintaining physical distancing, especially in public transport and social gatherings. There is also a need to ensure these safety guidelines were being adhered to, especially with the reopening of schools and other establishments   

Moreover, he said the health authorities were also taking measures to reduce the risk of community transmission from overseas arrivals by extending quarantine periods when an individual from a group undergoing quarantine tests positive.