Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said in Parliament yesterday (29) that all passengers, regardless of vaccination status, should be subjected to PCR tests upon entering the country.
“Accordingly, the Government should take swift measures to identify if there are any passengers infected by the new COVID-19 Omicron variant,” he pointed out.
Premadasa added that the booster dose should be administered to all those over 60 years of age as soon as possible and thereafter, the booster vaccine should be given to all others on expert advice.
Premadasa further added that the country needs to be prepared for the worst that could happen.
Premadasa said that the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the Omicron strain as a Variant of Concern that needs special attention.
“The Alpha, Beta and Delta variants, which were previously listed as threatening by the World Health Organization, had been devastating,” Premadasa noted. Premadasa also told the House that the Omicron variant was named as having a higher transmission capacity than the Delta variant, the most widely transmitted COVID-19 variant worldwide.
“Health experts have identified three challenges in this situation. Therefore, there is a chance for it to affect our country as well. We need to be aware of that. Increase of the pandemic’s transmission allows the new variant to increase. Many countries are facing this scenario and Sri Lanka will have to face the same predicament.Health experts also say that the virus can spread to people who are with other diseases as well as to those who have been vaccinated. It has also been shown that the elderly, as well as those with multiple disabilities, are at increased risk of contracting this omicron variant. Health experts have shown that this can reduce the risk of immunodeficiency, especially after vaccination,” Premadasa noted. The Opposition Leader also submitted to Parliament four proposals put forward by the health experts to prevent the spread of the new variant.
courtesy dailynews
