COVID-19 vaccine card now mandatory for all public places in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga announced that starting from January 1, COVID-19 vaccination certificate will be mandatory for entry to all public places in the country.

In a renewed attempt to prevent another spike in infections, the minister’s announcement is certainly an abrupt U-turn from the gradual ending of restrictions put into place after Sri Lanka was confronted with a third wave of COVID-19 Delta variant infections in April.

According to Ranatunga, Sri Lankan health officials were drawing up arrangements on implementing the decisions, according to a government statement.

Since Sri Lanka lifted a six-week lockdown on October 1, life has begun returning to normal, with the reopening of cinemas and restaurants and wedding parties allowed.

Restrictions put into place after the country was faced with a third wave of COVID-19 infections caused by the Delta variant in April have been gradually lifted.

However, police continue to enforce the wearing of face masks and maintenance of social distance in public places. Restrictions also remain on public transport and large-scale gatherings are discouraged.

COVID-19 cases surged in Sri Lanka in July and the country was placed under a conditional lockdown from August 20 to October 1.

At the peak, daily infections rose to more than 3,000 with 200 or more deaths. New daily infections have since fallen to approximately 500 and deaths to less than 20.

Since Sri Lanka’s first COVID-19 patient was detected in March 2020, the country has recorded nearly 580,000 confirmed cases and more than 14,000 deaths from the virus.