Sri Lanka Medical Association SLMA along with the Inter Collegiate Committee request the Government of Sri Lanka to immediately commence checking all travellers who enter Sri Lanka by conducting PCR testing at the airport before they enter the community.
The Sri Lanka Medical Association SLMA along with the Intercollegiate Committee thank you and the Ministry of Health for the immediate action taken over the risk imposed by the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV -2, namely banning flights to Sri Lanka from 6 South African countries in which the Omicron variant is prevalent, and strengthening the quarantine laws of Sri Lanka.
We note, however, that the new quarantine regulations apply only to travellers who arrive from these six southern African countries. There is evidence that the Omicron variant has now spread much further and that several other countries including those in Europe, Australia and the USA have detected cases infected with it.
As such there is a very high risk of Omicron Variant of SRAS-CoV-2 entering Sri Lanka in the near future through travellers from overseas from any country.
Therefore, the SLMA along with the Inter Collegiate Committee advices the Government of Sri Lanka to immediately commence checking all travellers who enter Sri Lanka by conducting PCR testing at the airport before they enter the community.
It would be extremely important to delay as long as possible the entry of this new variant to Sri Lanka until more scientific information of the variant becomes available and more people over 60 years in Sri Lanka receive vaccination with the booster dose. We earnestly request you to pay immediate attention in this regard.
