Courtesy Hiru News

State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana stated that the government is ready to go for an islandwide lockdown if a request is made from the health sector.

The State Minister further stated that all decisions taken by the government are taken on the advice of doctors.

Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, Director, Department of Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura stated that it is not possible to build immunity among the people by unnecessarily exposing society to the coronavirus.

Posting a note on his Twitter account, he pointed out that it only leads to more COVID patients and more COVID-related deaths.

It is clear that many countries that have successfully controlled the spread of the coronavirus have reached that goal by completing the vaccination and creating ‘herd immunity’.

However, in Sri Lanka, less than 25 percent of the vaccinated population still has the opportunity to be fully immunized by the second dose of any vaccine.

In such a situation, it is not possible to expect mass immunity from exposure of people to the virus, and it is not scientifically feasible, he said.

Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, Director of the Allergy Immunology and Cell Biology Unit of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura further stated that due to this it is very important to give the maximum number of vaccines to the maximum number of people in the society as soon as possible and to limit the unnecessary exposure of the people to the virus until then.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa stated that the government has planned to provide Covid immunization to children over 12 years of age step by step.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa made this observation while participating in the inauguration ceremony of the Southern Provincial Covid Child Treatment Unit at the Hambantota Hospital via video technology from Carlton House, Tangalle.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Coroners’ Association stated that there is a delay in returning the bodies of those who died during the house quarantine for postmortem examination and handing them over to their relatives.

Media Secretary of the association, Dickoya Base Hospital Coroner Mohamed Fazir stated that the delay was due to a circular issued by the Ministry of Health on June 19.

Also, it has been confirmed that 14 persons who participated in an alms giving held at a house in the Haldummulla Dadapola area have tested positive for COVID-19.

As a result, 190 people in the area have been referred for Covid tests.