President Addressed the nation as Sri Lanka begins lockdown

A nationwide lockdown has been announced from 10 pm tonight (20) as the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa requested the general public to be prepared to make sacrifices if the country is to be placed under a lockdown for a longer period of time.

Addressing the Nation, he said at this crucial juncture, everyone should take the country forward strategically by acknowledging the gravity of the situation.

“We were able to successfully manage the first wave of the COVID-19 virus due to some stern actions taken by the Government. Such stern decisions had to be made at that time because there were no other options available at that time,” the President pointed out.

The President is hopeful that the number of COVID-19 infections and deaths reported in the country would see a decline with the ramped-up inoculation drive.

“According to the accepted opinion of the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of medical experts and the global standardized methodology, vaccination is the only solution for the COVID-19 pandemic.”

All citizens above the age of 30 years are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the 10th of September, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said addressing the nation.

In addition to the cost of quarantine centres maintained by the government, each family quarantined in their own homes is provided with a relief package worth Rs. 10,000 for two weeks, the President continued. “Even under this dire situation, the government has never taken any action to reduce the salaries or curtail the allowances of more than 1.4 million public servants.”

Speaking on the consequences of lockdowns, President Rajapaksa said the lowest economic growth of the country since the Independence was observed during the first wave of COVID-19 as a result of placing the country under a lockdown.

“Each time the country was placed under a lockdown due to COVID-19 risks, we spend around Rs. 30 billion in each round to provide an allowance of Rs. 5,000 to the people who have become helpless without a daily income,” he noted, adding that the government has borne this cost on a number of occasions. 

Speaking on restriction of movement, President Rajapaksa requested people to prepare themselves to make necessary sacrifices if the country is forced to endure prolonged lockdowns.

Full text of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s special address to the nation: