Our first full steps in economy re-start
Today, after over two months of suspended public movements and large scale economic slowdown, millions of Sri Lankans step out to work. With the national COVID-19 infection rate hovering just over the 1,000 cases mark, we can only hope that this first-time break-out into the open by everyone after the highly restrictive lockdown, will not add to a further nasty outbreak of this deadly disease.
Given the torrid pandemic conditions prevailing all around us, both on the island and without, it is imperative that all Sri Lankan step out tomorrow with the full cognizance of the still-raging contagion. The curfew will be fully removed during day-time but if we do step outside, we do so into a disease rampant world.
If we have been familiarising ourselves with the basic scientific facts – repeated daily, ad nauseam – we should be aware of the dangers. It is crucial that Sri Lankans, a supposedly highly literate population with instant access to global data and knowledge via the Internet, should know the basic scientific findings about COVID-19.
Only the data and analysis coming out of the detailed scientific study of the virus and the epidemic pattern will tell us what we need to know: How does the contagion spread, how fast? How long does the virus survive while airborne from one human host to another? How long does it take to jump between people? How quickly can we rid ourselves of any traces of the virus? What are the early symptoms of the disease? What can be done to avoid infection? What and where is the treatment available?
This knowledge only comes to us from scientific research done by medical scientists, specialist health administrators and public sanitation managers. They have been diligently tracking the outbreak from its original epicentre in Wuhan, China, to its frighteningly rapid spread across the globe, including into this country. Thanks to the internet and also to the extensive data exchange and joint research frameworks enabled by the WHO and other professional health networks, the data has been made available to all countries and all regions to enable management of the pandemic.
Our faiths and life philosophies should motivate us to rely on the scientific information and divert us from any desperate reliance on superstition-based speculation about the pandemic and obscurantist claims of ‘magic’ and astrology. It is the data measured by the health professionals that must inform our behaviour in the course of our economic start-up.
On the basis of scientific research, we know that the virus could be carried by all and sundry, whether showing symptoms or not, young and old and, even on inanimate things like clothing, furnishing, cocooned vehicle, office and house interiors. We also know that the threat of air-borne COVID-19 infection will be around in our immediate atmosphere as we journey to workplace, function within the workplace and, step outside on the return journey home.
Everyone will be expected to fully comply with all the rules laid down to combat the contagion.
Thus, dear readers, we do hope you will diligently wash hands, wear your face masks, maintain the stipulated one-metre physical distance from other people and, take all other mandated precautionary measures. These include avoiding touching your face (to prevent any virus from latching on to you from others); and also quickly changing your outdoor clothing once you return home.
We must also carefully observe the night curfew times (10 p.m. to 4 a.m.). Our true citizenship will be demonstrated by our co-operation with the currently over-worked enforcing and managing authorities.
Indeed, citizens are encouraged not to unnecessarily leave home and to do so only for essential things like livelihood and domestic or personal administrative tasks. At the same time, we must be alert for a sudden resumption of curfews or movement restrictions of different kinds as the authorities act swiftly to counter any resurgence of the contagion as a result of our renewed economic activity.
We must heed the fervent appeal of our public health managers to be as strictly disciplined as possible in accordance with stipulated social hygiene as we set forth into the post-COVID-19 era.
Today, after over two months of suspended public movements and large scale economic slowdown, millions of Sri Lankans step out to work. With the national COVID-19 infection rate hovering just over the 1,000 cases mark, we can only hope that this first-time break-out into the open by everyone after the highly restrictive lockdown, will not add to a further nasty outbreak of this deadly disease.
Given the torrid pandemic conditions prevailing all around us, both on the island and without, it is imperative that all Sri Lankan step out tomorrow with the full cognizance of the still-raging contagion. The curfew will be fully removed during day-time but if we do step outside, we do so into a disease rampant world.
If we have been familiarising ourselves with the basic scientific facts – repeated daily, ad nauseam – we should be aware of the dangers. It is crucial that Sri Lankans, a supposedly highly literate population with instant access to global data and knowledge via the Internet, should know the basic scientific findings about COVID-19.
Only the data and analysis coming out of the detailed scientific study of the virus and the epidemic pattern will tell us what we need to know: How does the contagion spread, how fast? How long does the virus survive while airborne from one human host to another? How long does it take to jump between people? How quickly can we rid ourselves of any traces of the virus? What are the early symptoms of the disease? What can be done to avoid infection? What and where is the treatment available?
This knowledge only comes to us from scientific research done by medical scientists, specialist health administrators and public sanitation managers. They have been diligently tracking the outbreak from its original epicentre in Wuhan, China, to its frighteningly rapid spread across the globe, including into this country. Thanks to the internet and also to the extensive data exchange and joint research frameworks enabled by the WHO and other professional health networks, the data has been made available to all countries and all regions to enable management of the pandemic.
Our faiths and life philosophies should motivate us to rely on the scientific information and divert us from any desperate reliance on superstition-based speculation about the pandemic and obscurantist claims of ‘magic’ and astrology. It is the data measured by the health professionals that must inform our behaviour in the course of our economic start-up.
On the basis of scientific research, we know that the virus could be carried by all and sundry, whether showing symptoms or not, young and old and, even on inanimate things like clothing, furnishing, cocooned vehicle, office and house interiors. We also know that the threat of air-borne COVID-19 infection will be around in our immediate atmosphere as we journey to workplace, function within the workplace and, step outside on the return journey home.
Everyone will be expected to fully comply with all the rules laid down to combat the contagion.
Thus, dear readers, we do hope you will diligently wash hands, wear your face masks, maintain the stipulated one-metre physical distance from other people and, take all other mandated precautionary measures. These include avoiding touching your face (to prevent any virus from latching on to you from others); and also quickly changing your outdoor clothing once you return home.
We must also carefully observe the night curfew times (10 p.m. to 4 a.m.). Our true citizenship will be demonstrated by our co-operation with the currently over-worked enforcing and managing authorities.
Indeed, citizens are encouraged not to unnecessarily leave home and to do so only for essential things like livelihood and domestic or personal administrative tasks. At the same time, we must be alert for a sudden resumption of curfews or movement restrictions of different kinds as the authorities act swiftly to counter any resurgence of the contagion as a result of our renewed economic activity.
We must heed the fervent appeal of our public health managers to be as strictly disciplined as possible in accordance with stipulated social hygiene as we set forth into the post-COVID-19 era.
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