Increasing travel restrictions not enough against OMICRON: DDGHS

COLOMBO (News 1st); Increasing travel restrictions alone will not be enough to protect the country against the OMICRON COVID-19 variant, says health authorities.

The Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath, said that it is vital to continue to follow the correct health practices and guidelines in view of the current COVID-19 crisis.

Speaking further, Dr. Herath said that the new variant OMICRON has been detected in over 20 countries so far, adding that there are people who travel to Sri Lanka from those countries as well.

He also said that suspicious COVID-19 patients identified at the airport are being subjected to genetic tests to confirm the presence of the OMICRON COVID-19 strain.