28 January 2020 – Treatment centres established, returning travellers from China advised to self-isolate for two weeks

Type of Intervention: Advisory
Sectors Involved: Health
Intervention Categories: International travel measures; Planning and strategy; Creation of or release of plans
Level of Jurisdiction: National
Lead People/Agency: Director General of Health Services

Overview: 1. 12 hospitals around the country were identified as the treatment centers for the suspected persons. (NIID, TH Ragama, DGH Gampaha, DGH Negombo, National Hospital Kandy, TH Karapitiya, TH Anuradhapura, TH Jaffna, TH Kurunegala, PGH Rathnapura, TH Batticoloa, PGH Badulla)
2. Returning Sri Lankan students who were in China were advised to stay in their homes with minimal contacts with others for a period of 2 weeks from the day of arrival to Sri Lanka. In the event of the development of symptoms, inform the area PHI / MOH office and seek treatment at the closest above identified-hospitals.
3. There was no official Health Ministry directive to wear face masks by the general public including school children.
Full details here: http://www.epid.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/corona_virus_report/sitrep-sl-eu-28-01.pdf

Type of Justification: Advice of INTERNAL government advisory committee or group
Source of Evidence or Justification: Common knowledge and perceived threat of an epidemic that could be introduced from oversease
Evidence/Justification: Could be considered a standard operations for tackling a communicable disease that is coming from overseas and the need to be prepared