Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Colombo, August 27 (NewsWire) – The decision to lift the nationwide lockdown on Monday (30) with gradual relaxation afterwards could contribute to an eventual Covid-19-related death toll of 16,700 in Sri Lanka, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has projected.

According to The Morning Newspaper, a WHO-backed study has revealed that it will also limit the economic impact of the lockdown to US$ 1.1 billion, or 1.3% of GDP.

The WHO has also revealed that if the lockdown is extended to 18 September then it would result in a death toll of 13,712 and an economic loss of US$ 1.67 billion.

If the lockdown is extended to 2 October then it would result in an economic loss of US$ 2.2 billion, but limit the total death toll to 10,400, it added.

The projection is contained in the report Epidemiological and Economic Projections of Mitigation Measures for the Covid-19 Pandemic in Sri Lanka’s Roadmap” issued on 26 August 2021 through a webinar.

According to several experts who had attended the webinar, based on these projections, the Government cannot consider any other option but to continue the quarantine curfew or lockdown with more stringency.

They added that any other option would prove to be utterly disastrous, both for the country and the Government, and that the economic impact will also be felt thereafter.

The Government is expected to announce its decision today on whether or not it will extend the current islandwide quarantine curfew.