News

Vaccination alone not a magic bullet to end pandemic

Published

5 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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A new curriculum will be introduced for preschools in 2027, while steps will also be taken to train teachers accordingly – PM

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a new curriculum will be introduced for preschools in 2027, while steps will also be taken to train teachers accordingly and to regulate preschools through a regulatory authority.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing an awareness programme for preschool teachers in the Hambantota District on education reforms, held on Sunday (15) at the Ambalantota Pradeshiya Sabha Auditorium.

During the programme, preschool teachers briefed the Prime Minister about the challenges they currently face. Responding to their concerns, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated:

“The issues within the preschool system cannot be discussed separately from the broader crisis in society and in the education sector. When we assumed office in 2024, our primary challenge was to free the country from its debt burden and to establish. a sound economic indicators.

Although 2025 was a challenging year, we were able to bring the country’s economy to a certain level of stability and manage the national budget accordingly.

While we were working towards economic recovery, the war in the Middle East began, which has had certain impacts on our country as well.

A significant amount of Sri Lanka’s foreign remittances come from our fellow citizens working in the Middle East. Today, both their livelihoods and employment are under threat. In addition, a large number of tourists travelled to Sri Lanka through Middle Eastern airspace, and the closure of those air routes and airports has reduced tourist arrivals. Another issue concerns fuel transportation. This problem has affected not only Sri Lanka but many countries around the world. If the war continues for a long period, it will have further impacts on us, and therefore we must be prepared. We also need to manage the economy carefully and reduce certain expenditures.

Although we have the ability to borrow, our intention is not to weaken the country’s economy by relying on loans.

You are aware that we have begun implementing education reforms. Within that policy framework, we are also taking steps to reform preschool education. So far, the establishment of preschools and early childhood development has not been carried out in a systematic manner. Therefore, we must regulate and standardize all preschools, which is not an easy task.

First, all preschools must be formally registered. We have already prepared a curriculum for teacher training. In addition, we plan to introduce a new curriculum for preschools in 2027, provide teacher training accordingly, and regulate preschools through a regulatory authority. A recognized curriculum has also been prepared for the preschool diploma. In the future, priority for preschool teachers will be given based on these qualifications. We will also take gradual steps to enhance the professionalism of preschool teachers and establish a proper salary structure”.

The Prime Minister further stated that preschools fall under the authority of Provincial Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas, while the line ministry can only provide policy recommendations. She also emphasized that issues related to preschools should be addressed in a systematic manner through structural committees and District Development Committees.

Member of Parliament Nihal Galappaththi and other public representatives, along with preschool teachers from the Hambantota District attended the awareness program.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Be mindful of the accuracy of information before sharing it on social media – PM

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the weakening of public trust in information disseminated through the media is extremely dangerous for a society, and emphasized that people must be mindful of the truthfulness of information before sharing it on social media.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the “Sandeshaya” Media Awards Ceremony held on 14 March at the Kularathne Hall of Ananda College, Colombo. The event was organized with the aim of providing Sri Lankan school students with an opportunity to actively contribute to the national media discourse while promoting ethics, responsibility, and critical thinking.

During the “Sandeshaya” Awards Ceremony , lifetime awards granted only once in a lifetime were presented to distinguished veterans in the media field, while media awards were also presented to talented students in the school category. The ceremony was held under the patronage of the Prime Minister.

Expressing her views further, the Prime Minister stated:

“We live in an era where information technology and the media are changing rapidly. Along with these changes, many opportunities have emerged, but we are also confronted with numerous challenges.

We must prepare our younger generation to live in a society and a world transformed by information technology and the media.

When we observe the changes taking place in the media today, we can say that the media and information have become democratized. In the past, access to knowledge and information was largely limited to privileged or powerful groups. The authority to communicate information and decide what should be disseminated was held by a small group. However, with the advancement of technology, this has changed dramatically. As a result of this revolutionary transformation, information, data, and knowledge have now become accessible to everyone. In that sense, it is a positive development.

At the same time, we are no longer merely media viewers or consumers. As citizens, we can also become media creators. Citizens now have significant space to engage with the media and share information. While this is positive in one sense, it also carries certain dangers. There are serious questions, issues, and challenges regarding responsibility and credibility in the dissemination of information. Today, information flows so rapidly that it is sometimes difficult to determine what is true. Making decisions has become increasingly challenging. Not only in our country but globally, there have been many instances where societies have been set ablaze due to misinformation or deliberately distorted information. We have witnessed numerous occasions where people’s lives have been destroyed as a result.

Sometimes, without even realizing it, we get trapped on the internet. We share various things through our social media platforms, both necessary and unnecessary. However, what we often forget is that a large amount of personal information accumulates on the internet through these actions. Once incorrect information becomes widespread in this way, it becomes extremely difficult to erase.

The spread of false information weakens public trust in the information provided by the media, and this is extremely dangerous for a society. For the sustainability of a society, it is essential to maintain trust among citizens and trust in the institutions that influence people’s lives. Only through the trust we can safeguard the sustainability, continuity, and security of a society.

However, what has happened today due to the spread of misinformation? We no longer have confidence in our leaders. We do not even trust elders. There is doubt about whether the news we receive can be trusted. When credibility weakens within a society, it can push that society into crisis.

Therefore, it is extremely important to cultivate a culture that strengthens trust in leadership, promotes confidence in elders, and enhances awareness about reliable sources of information. In this context, those entering the field of media carry a significant responsibility.

Just like the senior professionals we honored today, you too may one day enter this field. However, there is a vast difference between the era in which they entered the profession and the era you will enter. You will carry a unique responsibility to strengthen the credibility of the media and to stand firmly behind the information you present.

You must be able to stand by the information you provide. You must reflect on whether the information you share is true and who might be affected by it. Ensuring the credibility of the information you disseminate is also your responsibility.

Similarly, as users of any form of media, we all bear a responsibility to verify the reliability of the information we receive and to be aware of how to distinguish between truth and falsehood. That is why digital literacy and media literacy are essential. It is also for this reason that we believe such subjects and concepts must be incorporated into education reforms so that our student generation can learn them.’

The Prime Minister further stated that citizens have a responsibility to be mindful of the truthfulness of information before sharing content found on the internet and social media with others.

The event was attended by the Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Anil Jasinghe, Principal of Ananda College D.M.L.P. Dissanayake, journalists, principals, teachers, and students.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

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Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar, Anuradhapura and Vavuniya districts

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/16

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. on 15 March 2026, valid for 16 March 2026.

The public is warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at
some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Monaragala, Mannar, Anuradhapura and Vavuniya districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491