Government moves to remove Sri Lanka from COVID Red List

Prasanna Ranatunga

Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga said arrangements are underway to remove Sri Lanka from the COVID-19 red list countries. This is due to be done subsequent to discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the upcoming weeks.

Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Laos, Qatar, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Philippines, England, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Australia, Norway, Bahrain, Nepal, Japan, Vietnam, France and New Zealand are included in the Red List and people from here are banned from visiting those countries and at the same time, various travel restrictions have been imposed subject to Covid rules and regulations in those countries as well.

Minister Ranatunga said these countries are holding discussions with the Government through their Ambassadors in Sri Lanka so that this country can be removed from the Red List or in other words to relax travel restrictions.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dinesh Gunawardena said that at the same time, discussions are being held with relevant countries so that prohibitions due to the Covid pandemic can be removed for Sri Lankan workers who are hoping to go for jobs and education to foreign countries including the Middle East.

Subsequent to it being declared that students who need to go overseas for education purposes should obtain both doses of a vaccine, the Minister said the opportunity to go to a foreign country will be made available.

(Source: Ceylon Today – By Anuradha Herath)