Citizens must prevent fourth COVID wave – Minister
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said citizens have a responsibility to prevent the fourth wave of COVID-19 in the country.
He said crowds of people are converging for street protests and meetings without any regard to the COVID-19 prevention measures.
The Minister said that the public support in the prevention of COVID-19 is not in a satisfactory level. Treatment of COVID-19 infected persons at home was a success in the country. One out of 140,000 patients who received treatment at home died of complications due to COVID-19 and our efforts in successfully treating patients at home have earned plaudits from the World Health Organization too,” he said.
Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said that the vaccination card will be made compulsory to enter public places soon based on the advice of the Attorney General.
He said that his Ministry has sought the Attorney General’s advice to make the vaccination card compulsory when entering the public places. “The Attorney General has opined that this measures can be implement for the benefit of all citizens. Based on his advice, we will make the vaccination card compulsory when entering public places soon, he said. The Minister was speaking at the opening of the first phase of Cancer Treatment Centre at Kandy National Hospital yesterday. This 12 storeyed Cancer Treatment Facility has been constructed at a cost of Rs.1,945 million.
He said that a software will be introduced to prevent those who have not fully vaccinated from entering public places . “We are in the process of developing this software”, he said.
“All measures have been taken to control the spread of COVID-19 and 75 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated. Health authorities have started administering third dose of COVID-19 vaccine too , he said. He said that the people have a responsibility to prevent fourth wave in the country by adhering to the guidelines issued by the Health Ministry. “The Ministry has already started vaccinating the schoolchildren. However the Minister said that steps are being taken to face a possible fourth wave too.