You test positive for COVID-19. Now what?
With the number of COVID-19 cases rising across the country, it is more likely than ever that we have either interacted with or know of a person who has been tested positive for COVID-19. And if we’re feeling a little temperature or a sore throat, our next thought tends to be “Should I take a PCR test?”. With the amount of ambiguity and daily change of regulations, we, at oDoc, want to keep you informed and updated with the latest news regarding COVID-19 processes in Sri Lanka.
This is the latest information on quarantine centers and discharge policies at the time of writing.
If tested positive for COVID-19, you will be placed in a hospital or an intermediate care center (ICC) depending on how severe your symptoms are. If you’ve tested positive at a private lab, the lab is obligated to inform the Ministry of Health and local PHIs of your positive test result and they will decide on your place of quarantine. There are options to stay in a government care center for free or a private care center for a fee.
In order to reduce the strain on hospitals, the option of home quarantine could be available soon but this process has not been finalized yet. Local PHIs would need to keep a close check and advise on health guidelines to asymptomatic patients who are undergoing a home quarantine.
Private care centers include:
- Club Koggala Village – Managed by Sri Lanka Army
- Daily room rates range from LKR 12,000 to LKR 25,000
- Full Board meals
- Room confirmation subject to availability and final approval by government authorities
- Contact information: 0773124521/0772092084
- The Beach Cabanas Retreat and Spa – Managed by Sri Lanka Army
- Daily room rates range from LKR 15,000 to LKR 29,000
- Full Board meals
- Room confirmation subject to availability and final approval by government authorities
- Contact information: 0773124521/0772092084
- Mirage Hotel Colombo – Managed by Nawaloka Hospitals PLC
- Daily room rates range from LKR 17,000 to LKR 22,000
- 24 hour medical support
- Full board meals
- Contact information:
- Hotline: 0770066006/0760089740
- Email: nhctc@nawaloka.com
- Siddhalepa Anarva Hotel, Mount Lavinia – Managed by Asiri Health
- Daily room rates range from LKR 17,000 to LKR 22,000
- 24 hour medical support
- Full board meals
- Contact information:
- Hotline: 0763074235/0779908474/0767039724
- Email: sumudu@asiri.lk
- Jetwing Beach Hotel, Negombo – Managed by Ninewells Hospitals
- Daily room rates range from LKR 17,000 to LKR 25,000
- 24 hour in-house medical care and ambulance on standby
- Full board meals
- Contact information:
- Hotline: +94 11 204 9900
- Website: https://intermediatecare.ninewellshospital.lk/
The latest update from Chief Epidemiologist, Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, regarding the length of quarantine and discharge policy is as follows:
- If you are positive for COVID but don’t show any symptoms and are not in a high-risk category, you will be sent to an ICC. You will be discharged from this center after 10 days and will be required to home quarantine for 4 days.
- If you are positive but show mild to moderate symptoms and are not in a high-risk category, you will be sent to an ICC. You will be discharged from this center after 14 days.
- If you are positive with severe symptoms, you will be sent to a COVID-19 hospital and will be kept there for 3 weeks or more depending on how severe the symptoms get. You will only be discharged after a negative RT-PCR test.
- If you have been placed in a quarantine center through contact tracing after a close associate of yours was tested positive for COVID-19, you will need to remain in quarantine for 14 days. You will only be discharged if you test negative on a RT-PCR test.
We will continue to update this article if and when regulations change so keep checking this space for any COVID-19 related news in Sri Lanka.
If you would like to read more about vaccines, especially the vaccine rollout in Sri Lanka. Check out this article.
Read our previous blog on Do the vaccines actually work?
References
- http://www.dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Lanka-Hospitals-gets-green-light-to-run-Intermediate-Care-Centre/108-203641
- http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210214/news/covid-19-hospitals-feel-the-strain-432660.html
- http://www.dailymirror.lk/news-features/If-your-PCR-test-taken-at-a-private-Lab-is-positive/131-203782
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