Apr 21, 2020 (LBO) – The College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka (CCPSL) proposes that a contingency plan needs to be executed by the “whole of government with whole of society”, once the stipulated objectives of containing the epidemic have been partly or fully achieved, which could maximize benefit or minimize damage.
Objectives of an exit strategy
1. Maintaining the case load well below the country’s health system capacity
2. Returning to near normal public life
3. Economic recovery
• Actions should be based on science with public health at its centre
• A multidimensional policy decision
• Balancing public health benefits against social and economic impacts
Criteria to assess whether the time has come to relax the lockdown: EU Guidelines
1. Epidemiological criteria showing that the spread of the disease has significantly decreased and stabilized for a sustained period of time
2. Sufficient health system capacity
3. Disease monitoring capacity , including large scale testing capacity to detect and monitor the spread of the virus combined with contact tracing and possibilities
Withdrawal of curfew and other restrictions should be in phases in a staggered manner, says the CCPSL.
Phase I - Stringent restrictions in high risk areas
Phase II - Moderate restrictions in moderate risk areas
Phase III - Relaxed restrictions in low risk areas
Exit strategy proposed by the College of Community Physicians
Full report
Exit-strategy-of-COVID-19-CCPSL