GMOA urges expansion of lab facilities to detect coronavirus mutations

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday urged the government to expand lab facilities to sequence genes to identify the mutations of coronavirus in the country.

GMOA Secretary Dr. Senal Fernando said that increasing the percentage of fully vaccinated people to over 70% of the population, giving a booster shot and developing facilities to identify new mutations of COVID-19 in the country.

“We are glad that the government has started giving a booster doses to frontline workers from 01 November. After the frontline workers are vaccinated, people should be vaccinated in the following order: those over 60 years of age, those under 60 who have noncommunicable diseases, those who are engaged in essential services and strategic industries. Thereafter, others can be vaccinated.”

Dr. Fernando said that the politicisation of the vaccination process could be prevented by vaccinating people scientifically. It would also boost people’s faith in the vaccination process, he added. “A scientific approach to vaccination is the best way to ensure the buy-in of the general public. We need to ensure that we don’t have another COVID wave.”