Recommendations from top Medical Professors towards an exit strategy

Six Chair Professors of Medicine (and Specialist Physicians) in Sri Lanka have expressed their opinion on an exit strategy from the current COVID-19 lockdown in Sri Lanka, recommending the current level of restriction should continue for now and be reviewed after the New Year among others.

Prof. Janaka de Silva (University of Kelaniya), Prof. Sarath Lekamwasam(University of Ruhuna) Prof. SAM Kularatne (University of Peradeniya), Prof. Sisira Siribaddana (Rajarata University of Sri Lanka), Prof Saroj Jayasinghe (University of Colombo), Prof. Kamani Wanigasuriya (University of Sri Jayewardenepura) have written a letter to Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, Chairman of the COVID-19 National Task Force and Dr Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services, expressing their opinion with some recommendations.Â

“The current level of restriction should continue for now and be reviewed after the New Year.
If the level of transmission is not high as evidenced by the daily number of new cases and a slow doubling time of cumulative cases, the curfew can be relaxed in stages, district-wise (e.g. one district per province on given days of the week). The chaos that occurred on Tuesday 24 March, when curfew was lifted for just a few hours, should not be allowed to recur. However, areas with high numbers of patients could be cordoned off and kept under stricter control measures or lockdowns,” the letter stated.