(UTV|COLOMBO) – Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne said the government was fully geared to ensure the protection of the country’s 21.4 million population from coronavirus or COVID-19, today.
He said there was no need for people to panic as the Defence Ministry was working closely with the Health Ministry and other relevant authorities to provide assistance to confront the spread of the coronavirus.
“Defence Ministry together with the Health Ministry has taken all precautionary measures to prevent the spreading of coronavirus in the island under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s directives,” he said.
At a ceremony organised to award scholarships for the children of fallen and disabled soldiers and civilians of the Gajaba Regiment held at the regimental headquarters in Anuradhapura on Friday, he told the media that some issues had triggered when residents protested against setting up of quarantine facilities in their localities.
“We also had to face objections by some air passengers, who arrived from COVID-19 hit countries, when they were asked to undergo 14-days quarantine process,” he said adding that they were impatiently waiting to return to Sri Lanka to join their families.
However, the Defence Secretary said despite objections of those who were arriving from COVID-19 hit countries, it was mandatory for them to undergo quarantine procedures as the safety of the country’s entire population is more vital.
“We are giving them the best possible care and facilities during the quarantine period,” he said. Panic buying and stockpiling of essential items is not required as the Government would do everything possible to curb the spread of COVID-19 to spread throughout the country, Maj.Gen. Gunaratne said
“The military is also tasked to analyse past records, items used, places that the infected people had visited and people whom they had associated,” he said adding that the Army Chief Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva has been appointed to coordinate the entire COVID-19 mitigation process.