Opposition and govt. split hairs over who is responsible for reigniting pandemic

By Saman Indrajith

The SJB yesterday alleged that the government had lowered it guard, causing the latest wave of COVID-19 infections.

Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament on Friday (9): “Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi made statements to the effect that we had eradicated COVID-19 from society. She boasted that Sri Lanka was the world’s first country that had beaten coronavirus once and for all. Such statements resulted in people losing their fear and letting their guard down. That is the reason for the second wave of COVID-19.”

Kiriella tabled two statements made by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, one on Sept 03 that virus had been successfully eradicated and the other on April 22 stating that Sri Lanka was the first country in the world that eradicated the virus from society. “In her second statement she in the capacity of Minister of Health assures the public that there is no way for the coronavirus to spread among people in this country and there would be no social spread. People believed in such statements. That was the reason they did not adhere to the health guidelines. There had been warnings from the Government Medical Officers’ Association and the Medical Research Institute that the threat was still there and there was a potential for the pandemic to reignite, but the minister went on giving assurances that they won the fight against the virus and asking people not to harbour fears. We want to know whether the minister will admit that she made these statements.”

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi: You have listened only to a section of the statement that I made. They take a section out of context and play it to create an impression that I made such a statement. I ask you to listen to the statement in full. During the elections you and the leader of the opposition campaigned without wearing facemasks. That was one reason people started thinking that there is no threat from COVID-19. My statements emphasized that we could win the battle against the virus if people support the government initiatives all alike.”