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Sri Lanka still at start of Delta variant spread
Experts insist on decisive action now to halt it in its track
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Sri Lanka was still at the early stages of the COVID wave created by the Delta variant and it had not spread to most parts of the country, Dr. Chandima Jeewandara of the Allergy, Immunology and Cell Biology Unit, Department of Immunology Molecular and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said yesterday.
He urged the government to take immediate action before the variant spread to other parts of the country.
“We found the Delta community spread in early June and by the end of July Delta is the most dominant variant in Colombo. Around 90% of the cases reported in Colombo are those with Delta variants. I think there are is a significant number of cases in Gampaha and in the South, but it has not spread elsewhere. For example, almost 100% the cases in
Nuwara Eliya are still the Alpha or UK variants,” he said.
Dr. Jeewandara said that the Delta variant was twice as communicable as the variant detected in Wuhan and that therefore a rapid and significant rise in cases could be seen. He said that following health guidelines like washing hands, wearing masks and social distancing were important.
“However, even if we do all this, Delta will use the slightest opportunity and infect us. Five seconds without the mask is enough for the virus to enter the body. We have to take immediate steps. We have to stop this before it spreads to other districts,” he said.
Prof. Suneth Agampodi, Founder Professor and Chair – Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, urged the government to impose a lockdown immediately.
“Doctors can save lives, but one policy decision can save more lives than all of us medical professionals combined. I implore the government to listen to professionals,” he said.
Prof. Agampodi also said Sri Lanka was at the beginning of the spread of the Delta variant and that it would take five to six weeks for the infections to peak. Commenting on the predictions on Sri Lanka made by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent global health research center at the University of Washington; Prof. Agampodi said that IHME data was highly respected around the world.
“In May, IHME predicted that there could be 200 to 300 deaths a day in Sri Lanka. The IHME model is reliable. What people need to understand is that the predictions are based on trends at the moment data is entered into the model. However, as people and governments react things change. In May, we took the IHME data, and we used the data into a model we created. We predicted that there will be 47 to 57 deaths a day because of how we will react, and our numbers came true,” he said.
Prof. Agampodi said that at the start of August, they predicted that between 100 and 150 people would die a day due to COVID-19 and now our worst-case scenario was 600 deaths a day. While there would not be 600 deaths a day, Sri Lanka couldn’t stop the number hitting 200, he said.
“The reported deaths are about 120 a day now and if we don’t do anything, we will be seeing 300 deaths a day. If we take immediate action, we can stop the deaths in the 200 – 250 range,” he said.
Prof. Agampodi said that with the Delta variant, everyone in a household will contract the virus, if one person contracted it, and if the government waited a few more days the virus would spread exponentially.
“This is why we must act now. The way things are now one person can spread to four people. Also if there are 100 cases today, there will be 400 tomorrow,” he said.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
