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Vaccination alone not a magic bullet to end pandemic

Published

4 years ago

2021/09/2

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Vaccination was not a silver bullet, and it had to be supplemented by other initiatives to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof Manuj Weerasinghe, Head of the Department of Community Medicine, University of Colombo, said.

Boosting immunity was vital for overcoming any virus, and vaccine played a big role in the fight against COVID-19, he said. However, vaccines alone were not the only way to overcome the pandemic, the Professor said.

“If we think we can get out through this crisis by vaccination alone, we won’t do the other initiatives needed, we won’t educate the people on what they really need to do, in fact we will give people the wrong idea that everything is good after getting vaccinated. Vaccination is important. It’s very clear that it saves lives and reduced the severity of the disease. However, vaccination won’t stop you getting infected or spreading it to others,” he said.

Prof. Weerasinghe said that the role and purpose of the vaccination was not properly understood by the people and when they got infected, after getting double jabbed, they assumed that the vaccine they had taken was not effective.

“This is why some people say on social media that they got the X vaccine and still they got COVID. They then go on to discredit the vaccine they had taken. This is bad for everyone. The government needs to communicate properly. Because of our over reliance on vaccine, both policy makers and the people are not doing what is needed to stop the pandemic,” he said.

Meanwhile Professor Chrishantha Abeysena, Senior Professor Department of Public Health, University of Kelaniya said when the decision to lockdown was taken too late; more time was needed to open the country again.

“As with everything in life, we have to make the call at the right time. I think everyone agrees that at least two weeks is needed for a lockdown to have some effect. However just because we imposed a lockdown doesn’t mean that things are going to work out fine, especially given that we are not seeing a strict lockdown,” he said.

Prof. Abeysena said that the government had to increase testing because there was community spread. Those infected needed to be found, they needed to be isolated along with their first contacts, he said.

“If we do this, we can get the pandemic under control. There is a WHO protocol on lockdowns and given that there is a community spread, the pandemic had become a social issue too. Hospital capacity is still a big problem,” he said,

Prof. Abeysena added that Sri Lanka now needed to figure out how it could operate after the lockdowns were lifted. The policy makers should come up with systems and protocols and communicate effectively with the general public, he said.

“If we don’t do this, there is no point in extending the lockdown even for another month. We also need to do testing and isolation. If we do this the numbers will drop and the health staff will get a breather. However, we must ensure that there are practical protocols after we open up. We are now at a disaster stage, although we had time to get ready. We have 18 months of living with the virus and we need to start learning lessons,” he said.

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In order to safeguard the future of the country, a quality human resource must be developed. – Prime Minister

Published

2 hours ago

2026/02/1

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that in order to ensure the economic, social, and cultural security of the country, it is essential to develop a quality human resource, and that education plays a vital role in achieving this goal.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the government is committed to bring about a transformation in the education sector, and that the government will continue to move forward by overcoming obstacles encountered along the way, guided by a clear vision and purpose.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the EDCS Sisu Nena Pranama scholarship award ceremony held on Saturday (31) at Temple Trees, organized to recognize the children of the members of the Education Co-operative Society (EDCS) who have been selected to state universities for the academic year2023/2024.

Elaborating further, the Prime Minister noted that this program, organized by the Education Service Employees– Co-operative Thrift and Credit Society Ltd, is not merely about providing scholarships, but is an occasion that recognizes and appreciates the dedication of students and their parents who are preparing to shoulder the responsibility of the country’s future.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that it is a remarkable achievement that a society which began in 1930 with just 58 members and a membership fee of one rupee has today grown into the largest cooperative society in South Asia, with approximately 215,000 members.

The Prime Minister further highlighted how rapidly the world is changing, and the increasing necessity of developing human resources in the face of economic and environmental crises. She stressed that the education system must be transformed from the level of school education itself to align with the demands of the modern world, and that students entering universities should become leaders and active participants in this transformation.

Noting that out of nearly 300,000 students who enter primary education each year, only about 40,000 gain admission to universities, the Prime Minister urged students to make use of this opportunity for the development of the country.

Addressing the occasion, Deputy Minister of Labour and General Secretary of Ceylon Teachers Service Union, Mahinda Jayasinghe, stated that due to corruption-free management, it was possible to increase the financial stability of the society from Rs. 1,200 million to Rs. 1,700 million within a short period of approximately nine months.

Under this year’s program, scholarships amount to over Rs. 13.7 million were awarded to 2,292 students who have been selected to state universities.

This scholarship program, which initiated in 1984 with 15 students and an initial fund of Rs. 3,500, has been conducted continuously for 41 years. At present, scholarships of up to a maximum of Rs. 75,000 per student are awarded, demonstrating the collective strength and solidarity of the teaching community.

The event was attended by the Chairman of the Education Development Cooperative Society, Lal Kumara, the Western Province Director of Education, Darshani Iddamalgoda, along with other officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Police face 32,000-officer shortage:IGP

Published

7 hours ago

2026/02/1

Thilina Walpola

IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya says that the Police is facing a shortage of nearly 32,000 personnel and is currently operating well below its required strength.

He made these remarks while attending a ceremony held on Friday morning (30) to recognise the contribution of fingerprint officers, crime analysis officers and forensic photographers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department for their role in solving crimes.

Addressing the gathering, the IGP said that around 2,500 police officers are due to retire this year, with a further 2,700 officers expected to retire next year.

In view of the growing cadre shortfall, he said plans are underway to recruit 10,000 new officers to the Sri Lanka Police in the future.

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Lanka’s Sabina Yousaf wins Mrs. Photogenic, Second Runner-Up at Mrs. World

Published

7 hours ago

2026/02/1

Thilina Walpola

Sri Lanka earned international recognition at the 41st Mrs. World pageant, with Sabina Yousaf being named Second Runner-Up, marking a notable achievement for the country at the prestigious global competition.

In addition to securing a top-three finish, Yousaf also won the Mrs. Photogenic mini-title and placed among the Top 20 contestants, underscoring her strong performance on the international stage.

The Mrs. World 2025 crown was won by Chanita Seedaket Craythorne of Thailand, while Paige Ewing of the United States was declared First Runner-Up.

The grand finale was held on 29 January in Las Vegas, Nevada, and featured contestants from more than 60 countries competing for the coveted title.

The announcement of the Top Three finalists placed Sri Lanka alongside leading global pageant contenders, reinforcing the country’s growing presence in international pageantry.

Final Results – Mrs. World 2025:

Winner: Thailand – Chanita Seedaket Craythorne

First Runner-Up: United States – Paige Ewing

Second Runner-Up: Sri Lanka – Sabina Yousaf