Fresh COVID-19 challenges

Wednesday, 28 October 2020 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

As COVID-19 cases continue to climb in Sri Lanka there is an increasing sense of urgency to change how the virus is being tackled. As health resources become strained and space in hospitals become scarce the adjustments to treatment such as allowing first contacts to quarantine at home rather than being taken to quarantine need to be supported by both greater transparency and legal support.

It is obvious that hospital beds need to be reserved for patients that need them the most. It has already been proposed by medical professionals that asymptomatic cases be allowed to quarantine at hotels or State-run quarantine centres and only those who exhibit symptoms to be admitted to hospitals. This is an unfortunate state of affairs but unfortunately with the upsurge in cases there may be little else to do.

There are also concerns of PCR test shortages. According to reports tests are only being administered on a needs basis with those who require PCR tests for travel being routinely turned away from public hospitals. This is understandable given the seriousness of the situation, but private hospitals are also running out of tests. Sustained testing in large numbers is essential if Sri Lanka is to deal with and contain community spread. Earlier claims of no community spread where made without conducting widespread community testing and Sri Lanka cannot afford a second similar lapse. It is essential that PCR tests are scaled up to identify vulnerable areas, detect patients and eventually ease lockdowns so people can return to their normal lives.

This is the prescribed approach that has worked in numerous countries and Sri Lanka has to move towards the same. With COVID-19 likely to remain a constant in everyone’s lives for months to come it is imperative that changes made by the Government are supported by legal measures. Broader assistance needs to be provided to professionals such as Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) to ensure first contacts quarantining at home stick to their responsibilities.

On this front it may be prudent for the Government to do two things. One, establish a system of quarantine curfew that has different levels. This was adopted successfully by several countries including New Zealand to have three to four levels, so level one requires somewhat less public vigilance than level four curfew, which would enable the people of each region to design their lifestyles accordingly and support businesses in their areas.

Secondly, the Government should quickly mobilise to procure and decentralise PCR testing facilities so that vulnerable areas such as Free Trade Zones have the resources needed to keep their workers safe. The current practice of having PCR testing at facilities, predominantly in Colombo, is impractical and could delay responses to the spread in other parts of the country. Trade Unions operating in these zones have already appealed to the Prime Minister to make this facility available to them and the Government should heed this request.

Overall, there also needs to be stronger engagement with key institutions, particularly the Health Ministry, which has mostly remained behind closed doors. The public should have more transparency and a chance to clear up any problems that may arise from implementation of regulations. In a fluidly evolving situation it is now essential to be proactive and flexible.