“Strict Strategies & Restrictions Prompted a Drop in Positive Cases” - NOCPCO Head

"The strategic control measures, quarantine procedures and other preventive restrictions that were closely adopted enabled all of us to bring the numbers of infected ones down on par with current world trends that went parallel with the introduction of the vaccine world-wide. The drop in numbers is due to social distancing, restrictions imposed and timely adopted measures", so said General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff, Commander of the Army and Head, National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID 19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) addressing the routine Task Force meeting of the NOCPCO held on this evening (2).

The Task Force meeting was co-chaired by Dr Asela Gunawardana, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and General Shavendra Silva, Head NOCPCO, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army.

Head of the NOCPCO elaborated that there could still be a higher percentage of positive cases reported from Western Province since the vaccination project is still on in Colombo and its suburbs.

He said that the frontline health workers, those in essential services and the elderly in areas where clusters were reported have been prioritized for vaccines.

He pointed out that those above 60 years of age in Western Province were given priority due to high density of population and the risk of spreading it among the elders. This will be the practice for those above 60 years in other districts too.

General Shavendra Silva further told the meeting that the repatriation programme continues and so far 102,000 Sri Lankan expatriates were brought down to the country as of today.

In addition NOCPCO Head said that possibilities for enhancing the capacity for more and more expatriates to be brought down for quarantining would be taken up for discussion with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau.

Director General of Health Services explained about the number of hospitals and care centres dedicated for treatment of patients and tabled other statistics regarding the status quo. 274,000 more vaccines will be brought down to the country within next two weeks with sponsorship given by the WHO.

The quarantine strategy of the country will remain the same without changes, he said.

Source: www.army.lk