Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva has appealed the general public to continue their COVID-19 preventive health practices further by using face masks, keeping social distancing and washing hands until further instructions are received from health authorities.

He made this remark this afternoon (27) speaking to the media in Kandy on the ongoing COVID-19 control measures in the country, Sri Lanka Army said in a media release.

He also expressed his gratitude to the general public for the overwhelming support they extended towards the near successful control of the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

“Thanks to the efforts of all stakeholders, including Public Health Inspectors, health workers, Tri-service troops, we locally recorded the last COVID-19-affected Sri Lankan nearly some two months back but foreign arrivals, being brought down here continue to report a couple of infected cases from time to time. Yet, they are also mostly Sri Lankan brethren and countrymen who are being repatriated due to intervention of HE the President and the government.”

Further, he said it is our duty to take care of them too as countrymen while adopting maximum health precautions.

Armed Forces in all island-wide quarantine centres are now well adapted and fully geared to take care of them after keeping them in quarantine as has been the practice, the Army Chief commented, adding that it is, hence, essential for people to be on alert of their day-to-day health practices and continue those guidelines for the best interests of our society.