Army Commander and Head of National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak, General Shavendra Silva said there is no need to panic as the Army is geared to convert identified hotels and other places to serve as intermediate treatment centres if there is a sharp increase in COVID positive cases.
“We want to give each affected Sri Lankan a hospital bed and we are already converting a few hotels to serve as intermediate treatment centres, like how we did with the Koggala one earlier,” he added. He said the media is capable of convincing the public of the impact of the third COVID wave particularly of the new variants.
“The print and electronic Media are capable of convincing the public of the impact of this Third Wave particularly with new variants in a more impressive and positive manner, rather than adopting a destructive attitude as this has now become a global threat and a national menace,” he also said.
General Silva was speaking at meeting with heads of media institutions in Colombo last Friday.
“We need the masses to get involved in this process as a national commitment and seek their full cooperation and understanding. The Media therefore has a bigger role to play in lobbying the public mindset for better results and get them to toe the preventive line en masse,” he highlighted.
The Army Commander also discussed the possibilities of mobilising the masses to be conscious of the need for defeating the spread of COVID-19 pandemic as a national cause, irrespective of all differences.
