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Prof. Malavige explains why even Singapore down with Indian variant

Published

2 years ago

2021/05/20

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Prof. Neelika Malavige of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Sciences of the Sri Jayewardenepura University yesterday said only those engaged in providing essential services should be allowed to travel.

Employees should not be allowed to eat together, Prof. Malavige said. “You take masks off when you eat. If a group of people sit together and eat, all the precautions taken during the rest of the day will be in vain. Every country that has successfully controlled the spread, has adopted such measures.”

Prof. Malavige said the new variants were more infectious and could remain in the air longer in enclosed, especially air conditioned, environments.

“The virus is spread by droplets. If someone in an enclosed area coughs and emits droplets into the air. This can remain airborne for some time and can infect another. However, the distance that the droplets can travel is a metre. This would not be a problem at all if you are in a ventilated area or in open spaces,” she said.

“Vaccination is not the final solution to the pandemic”, Prof. Malavige said, adding that Singapore was currently under a lockdown because its airport staff, who had received both doses of Pfizer vaccine had contracted the Indian variant of COVID-19.

“They were asymptomatic cases, but infected their families, who spread it in the community,” she said, adding that vaccination was vital to ensure one’s personal safety but those who were vaccinated could contract the virus and spread it among others. She also said that it took several weeks after vaccination for people to develop immunity and therefore people should not lower their guard. “To develop some immunity after the AstraZeneca vaccine, it takes about 21 days after the first dose. However, you need to take the second dose for improved protection. You need two weeks after taking the second dose of Sinopharm to develop immunity. We have to be careful.”

Prof. Malavige said that Covid-19, like any other viral disease, had a significant effect on pregnant women, several of whom had died due to dengue, she noted.

“Any viral disease, be it chickenpox, influenza or dengue affects pregnant women. They must be careful.”

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SF claims thousands of police and military personnel leaving

Published

4 hours ago

2023/03/24

Thilina Walpola

By Saman Indrajith

Thousands of police and military personnel had left the services recently as they did not want to carry out illegal orders, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament yesterday. According to the war-winning army commander 200 policemen have resigned during the past two months and 25,000 soldiers have left the army during the last two years.

“We urged the law enforcement and military officials not to follow illegal orders. We will reinstate them with back pay,” he said.

Fonseka also urged the President and the government MPs not to take people for fools.

“Sri Lanka owes 55 billion dollars to the world. Ranil’s plan is to borrow another seven billion during the next four years. So, in four years we will owe 62 billion to the world.

Ranil and his ministers ask us what the alternative to borrowing is. These are the people who destroyed the economy and society. They must leave. Then, we will find an alternative and develop the country,” he said, adding that the IMF loans had made crises in other nations worse.

“Ranil says that by 2025, we will have a budget surplus as in Japan, Germany and South Korea. These countries are economic power houses, and this comparison is ludicrous.”

News

CEB hit by exodus of technical staff

Published

4 hours ago

2023/03/24

Thilina Walpola

By Shiran Ranasinghe

At least five technical personnel of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) resigned daily for overseas employment, a senior CEB official said.They included electrical engineers, electricians and foremen, he added.

“Most of them are quitting due to the economic crisis while others are simply disillusioned. Trained and experienced technical staff are in high demand in many countries,” he said.

CEB United Trade Union Alliance President Ranjan Jayalal said that the CEB had lost about 2,000 employees in recent times due to the above reasons.

“We had about 24,000 such personnel a few months ago. Now the number has come down to 22,000. A number of people had to retire on 31 December, 2022.

News

Sajith questions sudden decision to charge Rs. 225,000 from students following NDES

Published

4 hours ago

2023/03/24

Thilina Walpola

By Saman Indrajith

The government had decided to charge Rs 225,000 from those enrolling at the Institute of Engineering Technology, Katunayake under the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said yesterday in Parliament.

Premadasa said that the institute awards the National Diploma in Engineering Sciences (NDES) and no fee was charged from students until 2023.The IET awards the National Diploma in Engineering Sciences under the three major fields of civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, and eight sub-fields.

“This is an institute that has created over ten thousand tier two engineers. NDES is a four year programme,” he said.

The opposition leader said that the sudden decision to charge 225,000 rupees from students at a time when the average Sri Lankan family is facing significant economic challenges is unfair.

“This institute offered free tuition. We should continue this tradition. A large number of engineers are leaving the country and we need to ensure that we have a continuous supply of engineers to ensure we can maintain our essential technical services,” he said.