New coronavirus threat:College of Paediatricians stresses need to wear masks

The Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians has urged the government to take tangible measures to convince the public of the need to wear masks, and adhere with health safety measures, as the country faces a re-emergence of Covid, with higher mortality and morbidity.

The following is the text of the statement issued by Prof Guwani Liyanage, President of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians: “In the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic engulfed the whole world in a series of agonising grief and desperation. The fear and uncertainty made the entire population stick to health safety precautions, which were a novelty to us all. The schools were closed, initially, and online teaching commenced. The health safety guidelines were strictly conveyed, keenly followed, together with vaccination. Despite all this, the pandemic raised its head from time to time. The country was able to drive through a series of Covid waves and overcome the daring situations. The Delta variant being the worst, brought in deaths and the Intensive Care Units were flooded with patients. The lockdowns made the health safety precautions feasible.

However, with the advent of vaccination and lower numbers of morbidity and mortality, in the latter parts of 2021 and early 2022, children and adults were seen relaxing the health safety measures, both at work, school, and at home, and they were complacent enough to think that death and morbidity, due to COVID, seemed unlikely.

The schools were reopening and adapting to the new normal. With the dawning of 2022, the country faced a new challenge, as we were about to see a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel. These trials and tribulations enraged our populace when faced with the worst economic crisis ever in the post-independence era. With the scarcity of fuel, transport has become the worst affected, with both the teachers and children facing difficulties in attending school. Even the available transport modalities were not able to adhere to health safety precautions. Further to this, the schools were closed on several occasions, due to a lack of modes to commute, escalating the unfortunate woes that were seen as sequelae of the pandemic. Maintaining the continuity of education has become vital. while adhering to heath safety precautions.

Amidst the political and economic crisis, and while the country was still looking for answers, the world is now facing a re-emergence of Covid, with higher mortality and morbidity. With the relaxation of health safety precautions and overcrowding, especially in public transport, the risk of Covid transmission has increased exponentially. The crowding at public places, with reopening of schools and workplaces, will contribute to this, more and more. Commuting through private means and even school transport services facing many challenges, the children were forced to use the crowded public transport frequently.

While facing the economic burden, the country will not have the power to face an emergency, while maintaining optimal health services. Hence prevention is of utmost importance. Uninterrupted education, maintaining essential services, while maintaining low case numbers, is vital for the country to face this challenge, within the next few weeks to come. Hence, stringent health safety precautions to be taken and dissemination of information needs to be reinstated to avoid a catastrophe. Rapid spread of infection, through the community, resulting in high morbidity and mortality, will lead to an unbearable cost to the healthcare system.

We desperately need to urge the public to wear masks and stick to health safety measures. Since the health system is already burdened with shortages of medicine and consumables, if the case numbers rise exponentially the curative sector will be faced with an almost impossible task. The Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians earnestly urge the authorities to inform the public to wear masks and adhere to strict health safety precautions to save vulnerable communities, such as children.

We are ever willing to join hands with the Ministry of Health, and the government, in this tedious task to try and deal with the challenges in this endeavour. As the premier professional academic organization, concerned with child healthcare, representing academics and clinicians responsible for the health of the future generations, we believe that we truly need to initiate and support the uninterrupted delivery of healthcare to the children of our land. However, in these dire circumstances we would like to express our grave concern as prevention may be the most feasible option to our country at present. We do pledge to support very strongly, all efforts that would be made by the relevant authorities in the required initiatives for prevention, including vaccination of children. As we do not wish to further compromise the education of the children, by totally closing schools, if the need arises, we are compelled to issue these warnings to prevent the unwanted outcomes, and we urge the authorities to act with immediate effect.

We would like to express our sincere concern in this matter as we may have to face a daunting situation if these much-needed preventive measures are not attended to urgently. We, as a responsible professional organization, would like to express our commitment and fullest support in every possible way.”