www.themorning.lk Late City VOL 01 | NO 10 | Rs. 30.00 { FRIDAY } FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2021 THE PEAK RIDGE WINDIES TOUR FOREST CORRIDOR COULD BE COLLABORATION SHORTENED – SLC ‘NATIONAL OIL ONLINE TEA AUCTION COMPANY VERY PLATFORM UPGRADE DIFFERENT TO CPC’ IN THREE MONTHS »SEE PAGE 11 »SEE PAGE 6 »SEE PAGE 8 »SEE PAGE 16 EASTER ATTACKS AND BOND SCAMS All Covid policies and regulations under review z 15-member committee z New website for Prez tells AG, appointed all Covid info soon BY PAMODI WARAVITA committee would look at changing the current quarantine process, Dr. De Silva said that A 15-member committee under the State it too would be reviewed in time to come. Ministry of Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, “Currently, only second contacts of and Covid Disease Control is currently Covid-19-positive patients can undergo take action fast reviewing all pandemic-related policies and home quarantine. First contacts have to be regulations and assessing how it should be quarantined at an institution. In time to come, z‘Will bring all culprits, z Make Easter report public: revised, The Morning learnt. we would look into whether any changes are “It has been nearly a year since the Covid- needed with regard to such matters,” noted accomplices to justice’ SJB and Archbishop 19 pandemic started in Sri Lanka. As such, Dr. De Silva. the State Ministry appointed a committee at He also pointed out that these are decisions BY PAMODI WARAVITA parties involved in and responsible recommendations in the final report the beginning of this year to review all the that need to be taken on the basis of scientific President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that he has advised the for the tragedy, including those of the Presidential Commission regulations related to the control of Covid- evidence. Hence, the committee appointed by the Attorney General’s Department to be swift in taking actions who masterminded it and aided of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Easter 19,” State Ministry of Primary Healthcare, State Ministry includes three epidemiologists, with regard to the Easter Sunday attacks on 21 April 2019, and abetted towards such, and that Sunday attacks. “I have advised the Epidemics, and Covid Disease Control three virologists, two physicians, two and the Central Bank Treasury Bond Scams. they would ensure that all such Attorney General’s Department to Secretary Dr. Amal Harsha De Silva told paediatricians, two consultant community Addressing the nation during made further reference to the Easter persons would not evade justice. swiftly act upon matters that have The Morning yesterday (4). physicians, two surgeons, and a neurologist. the 73rd Independence Day Sunday bombings, emphasising He further added that he has caused great concern to the public, When queried as to whether the said Contd. on page 2 celebrations held yesterday (4), he that action will be taken against all given instructions to implement the Contd. on page 2 73RD INDEPENDENCE DAY SAITM Founder Dr. Neville THE BLACK INDEPENDENCE I want solutions, not Fernando succumbs to Covid BY LAHIRU POTHMULLA His passing was confirmed to criticism: President South Asian Institute of The Morning by the National Technology and Medicine Operation Centre for Prevention of z Ensure BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI, MIHI PERERA (SAITM) Founder Dr. Neville Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO). AND LAHIRU POTHMULLA meaningful Fernando, who was being Dr. Fernando, who was also freedom: PM Laying out his vision for efficient and honest treated at the National Institute the Founder of the eponymously administration and governance, technological of Infectious Diseases Hospital named Teaching Hospital, was z Many advancement, environmental protection, after contracting Covid-19, passed 89-years-old at the time of his and education reforms, President Gotabaya away yesterday (4). demise. challenges Rajapaksa claimed that what the country ahead: Sajith requires for its development is citizens that do not provide unfair criticism, but practical z Politicians solutions to the problems faced by the nation. responsible Addressing the nation at the ceremony for divisions: to celebrate the 73rd Independence Day yesterday (4), Cardinal Contd. on page 2 CROP DAMAGE BY WILD ANIMALS Families of the disappeared in Vavuniya marked Independence Day yesterday (4) as a ‘Black Day’ protest and are seen here engaged in a hunger strike Monkey sterilisation PHOTO TAMIL GUARDIAN causes concern ITJP’S YASMIN SOOKA WRITES TO UNITED NATIONS z Impractical and unjust: Environmentalists, conservationists, and activists BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI pastoralists of the menace to their Urges suspension of fruit and vegetable cultivations With Governmental authorities from quadruped and biped fauna. seeking to propose sterilisation as Whilst acknowledging the Lankan peacekeepers a means of protecting crops from need for solutions to rising monkeys and other wild animals, populations of monkeys and BY PAMODI WARAVITA Bachelet, which allegedly have been properly vetted environmental groups and animal other wild animals damaging The International Truth and raises new doubts about and screened, and therefore rights activists yesterday (4) raised fruit and vegetable crops across Justice Project (ITJP) has made whether Sri Lankan troops must urgently take steps to concerns in terms of the feasibility, six Provinces, environmentalists a request from the United can be properly vetted. move the screening process practicality and ethicality of the and animal conservationists Nations’s (UN) Department “The DPKO has a legal duty back to the UN Human Rights plan. raised concerns regarding the of Peace Operations (DPKO) to ensure due diligence before Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, The authorities are considering feasibility, practicality and ethics to suspend the deployment deploying troops. The report of Switzerland,” said ITJP this ambitious plan, spanning six surrounding the Government’s of Sri Lankan peacekeepers the UN HCHR confirms that Executive Director Yasmin Provinces, in an effort to control recently proposed initiative to due to the report by UN High the UN General Assembly is Sooka in a statement released wild animals causing havoc to a control these populations through Commissioner for Human not in a position now to certify yesterday (4). variety of lucrative agricultural sterilisation and other means. Rights (HCHR) Michelle that the Sri Lankan troops Contd. on page 2 crops, following complaints from Contd. on page 2 COVID-19 CASES HILL COUNTRY TREMORS ‘Unusual’ quakes baffle geologists ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES zDiversity of location and daytime occurrence raise questions 67,115 BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE have been mainly in the 2.5 or lesser were reported in different areas of the Earth tremors are a seldom range in the Richter Scale, which country. However, the country has felt DEATHS RECOVERED occurrence within the landmass of Sri measures the magnitude of earthquakes. a few tremors in the past, of which the Lanka, and the recent microearthquakes “The scale of these microearthquakes amplitude and intensity are very low,” 6,209 339 60,567 reported in various places in the were 2.5 or less on the Richter Scale. This Professor of Geology at the Open SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU island constitute an unusual situation, is considered negligible in terms of impact, University Rohan Fernando claimed THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 10.00 P.M. ON 04 FEBRUARY 2021 according to geologists. but can be recorded by a seismograph. The speaking to The Morning yesterday (4). Most of the reported earth tremors only question is how these earthquakes Contd. on page 2 42 www.themorning.lk { NEWS } Friday, February 5, 2021 The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid- 19 vaccine, the only vaccine being used in Sri Lanka currently, appears to substantially reduce transmission AstraZeneca appears to reduce of the virus rather than simply preventing symptomatic infections, UK researchers have suggested. The rate of positive PCR tests declined by about half after two doses, Covid transmission, study shows according to preliminary results by risk of infection and thus a surrogate to confirm this.” researchers at the University of Oxford appeared to rise when the time between research should provide reassurance researchers at the University of Oxford for potential onward transmission,” Chief executive of the British Society said. shots was spaced out from less than six around the UK’s decision to offer the that have yet to be peer reviewed, CNN the authors wrote. for Immunology Dr. Doug Brown told The new analysis adds new trial sites weeks to more than 12. However, more two doses of this vaccine 12 weeks reported yesterday (4). If the vaccine were simply making the SMC that the study “hints that the and a month of new data to the mix, information is needed to know how apart.” The researchers’ analysis, released infections milder, PCR positivity would Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine may be building upon earlier results announced statistically different that finding is. Chair in infectious disease as a preprint Tuesday, also supports not change, the authors argued in the effective in stopping people being able by AstraZeneca that its vaccine had Taken together, the findings may epidemiology at Imperial College spacing out doses and estimates good preprint analysis. to transmit the virus.” showed an estimated 70.4% efficacy. bolster the UK’s decision to recommend London Professor Azra Ghani efficacy after just one shot of the “A measure of overall PCR positivity He added: “While this would be However, the latest research also spacing out doses up to 12 weeks cautioned against interpreting the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. is appropriate to assess whether there is extremely welcome news, we do suggests the vaccine may offer apart, according to a statement from estimates in the study as indicative The study did not measure a reduction in the burden of infection.” need more data before this can be substantial protection after a single the chief investigator of the Oxford of a higher efficacy with a longer transmission directly – for example, Coronavirus vaccine trials have confirmed and so it’s important that shot.