The Ministry of Health has already made plans to procure the required oxygen reserves even though the need for oxygen in COVID-19 treatment has gone up in the past several days.
However, there is no shortage of oxygen supply in the country, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said.
Responding to a question of a journalist regarding the escalation of the current situation of the Delta variant up to an extent that was observed in India, Dr. Herath said that Sri Lanka is not currently facing such a serious situation.
“We have enough oxygen in Sri Lanka. If necessary, industrially produced oxygen, as well extracting from the normal atmosphere using the oxygen concentration method can be used to obtain the required amount of oxygen.
All necessary arrangements have been made to supply oxygen even if a number of cases higher than the current situation are reported. We have no shortage of oxygen at the moment.”
Dr. Herath, also pointed out that even a person who has received both doses of the vaccine is at risk of contracting COVID-19.
“Even a person who has received both vaccines is at risk of contracting COVID-19. However, the immune system builds up in the body to control the spread of the virus, which reduces the risk of complications. It also reduces the chances of spreading the virus to others. But the possibility [of contracting the virus] is not lost.
If you are a person who needs to be vaccinated, get vaccinated immediately. Even after getting vaccinated, you need to follow the basic hygiene habits and take steps to protect yourself from the disease.”
Meanwhile, there is a high risk of the virus spreading further due to protests, Dr. Hemanth Herath said. He says the relevant parties should pay attention to this and refrain from carrying out public protests.
He said that the organizers of the protest as well as the participants should act with more responsibility adding that it should be questioned as to who will take the responsibility of a COVID-19 cluster is born through such gatherings.
In the end, the health sector will be responsible for such a situation and even those who are not involved in it will have to suffer its consequences, the doctor said.
Dr. Herath urged the public to act with consideration of such a situation.
