Stay Safe and Beat Virus
I returned home after being cured of the COVID- 19. I am especially grateful to the medical team including Dr. Anuradha who treated me and to Mrs. Jayawardena, Mrs. Adihetti, Ms Indiwari and Ms Harshani. I also fondly remember the staff of Hotel Lanka Super Corals in Hikkaduwa where I stayed.
I would also like to thank the Maha Sangha, the clergy and the people of the Kurunegala District and all over the island who wished me a speedy recovery since I contracted the virus. At a time when the COVID- 19 is spreading rapidly across the country, please be mindful to stay away from your family members, self-quarantine and inform the nearest Public Health Inspector (PHI) if you have any symptoms such as fever, cold, cough, loss of taste. If everyone acts in such a manner, we have the potential to curb this virus to some extent.
At this moment we know that COVID- 19 has spread uncontrollably across the country. Given this situation, the government is not in a position to direct all patients to quarantine centres. This is because the medical staff is limited and the quarantine process costs the government an unaffordable amount of money.
Therefore, I urge the government and the health sector to immediately get the PHI in the area to inspect the houses and, if possible, quarantine them at houses themselves with a separate room and a separate toilet. Then the government’s spending on running quarantine centres can be minimised.
At a time when the government hopes to repatriate more than 60,000 Sri Lankans working in foreign countries in the future, providing quarantine centres and facilities for all these people will not be an easy task. As a solution to this, I suggest that they also be quarantined for 14 days at their homes if a separate room and a toilet are available there. My idea, as an infected person, is that there is no other option for this virus other than this.
So, finally, I would like to remind the people that we will protect ourselves until we find a proper treatment. Let’s maintain social distance, wear face masks and fulfill our responsibility in this regard.
Dayasiri Jayasekera (Attorney at Law)
State Minister of Batik, Handloom and Local Apparel Products
