Airlines asked not to bring passengers from South Korea, Iran, Italy
Posted on March 13th, 2020

Courtesy Island

* Visas to Europeans suspended
* Lankans coming from Europe to be quarantined
* Universities closed until further notice
* England cricket tour called off

March 13, 2020, 10:12 pm

Sri Lanka, yesterday, (13), informed airlines to immediately stop bringing in passengers from Italy, South Korea and Iran until further notice.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) made the request on behalf of the government as it struggled to cope with several hundred Sri Lankans quarantined at the Batticaloa Campus and Kandakadu rehabilitation centre in the East.

In addition, the government suspended the issuance of visas to Europeans for a period of two weeks, a spokesperson for the Presidential Secretariat said. The official also said that those Sri Lankans returning from Europe too should undergo 14-day quarantine at stipulated locations. Instructions in that regard were issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

At the meeting chaired by the President, it was also decided to restrict large gatherings of people as well as events as much as possible.

The government also announced the closure of Universities for a period of two weeks with immediate effect.

It also declared the countrywide closure of pre-schools until further notice as a precautionary measure.

Following consultations, the England cricket team’s Sri Lanka tour was also called off.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment said that approval wouldn’t be granted to Sri Lankans leaving for overseas employment until further notice.

Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations Ministry spokesman Sarath Kalugamage yesterday told The Island that on the instructions of Minister Dinesh Gunawardena Vocational Training Authority (VTA), Ceylon-German Technical Training Institute (CGTTI), National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and Department of Technical Education and Training (DTET) had been closed also for a period of two weeks.

Power and Energy Ministry announced that instructions were issued yesterday regarding foreign travel by officers of the Power and Energy and Transport Ministries. The ministry said that foreign travel wouldn’t be allowed unless essential (SF)

2 Responses to “Airlines asked not to bring passengers from South Korea, Iran, Italy”

  1. aloy Says:

    I think airlines contribute significantly to the spread of diseases like this. I have notice that each time a member of my family contracted diseases like this it was just after an air travel. Perhaps the air circulation system in the airlines need redesign.
    It is said that europeans do not take illnesses like chickenpox etc seriously and it seems when they contract these deceases they stay a few days in a hotel and go back without completing the full 14 days.

    We were having a video conferencing a couple of hours ago with a group of Sri Lankan professional who are resident around the world, during which a Sri Lankan professional working in Boeing, Seatle was discussing about a software system they use. I pointed out my above experience and requested him to devise a more effective mechanism to clean the air and recirculate in the cabin.

    Perhaps this should be taken at a governmental level.

  2. dingiri bandara Says:

    Since ancient times,it has been known that copper(and its alloys) to be of the best antimicrobial agents. The world needs to start using this metal again on frequently used surfaces like railings, banisters, door knobs and air filters etc.
    During flu epidemics ,The Soviet Union uses to use UV lamps(after evacuating the patients) to sterilize the wards. In Sri Lanka there is ample UV from the sun. But UV lamps can be used to sterilize the insides of the wards and other areas necessary. This will avoid the use of harmful chemicals that will finally pollute the waterways.

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