Quarantining guidelines for returning Sri Lankan children

With confusion over the quarantining procedure for vaccinated Sri Lankans returning to the country with unvaccinated children, the Sunday Times found the following guidelines issued by the DirectorGeneral of Health Services on April 6.

Currently many countries are not vaccinating children below 18 years as the vaccines have not been tested on them yet.

Quarantine measures for ‘fully-vaccinated’ Lankan travellers

If there are any children below 12 years, they can be discharged with fully-vaccinated travellers by adhering to the following measures:

Children in the age-group 2 to 12 years should be subjected to on-arrival (Day One) PCR testing and should have negative test results. Children below 2 years will not be subjected to PCR testing after arrival in Sri Lanka and will be discharged with fully vaccinated caretakers.

However, if the on-arrival (Day One) PCR testing of an accompanying traveller of the child is positive for COVID-19, the child below two years will also be subjected to PCR testing subsequently.

All children 12 years and above should undergo quarantine at a designated Quarantine Hotel/ Centre/Safe and Secure Certified Level 1 Hotel after arriving in Sri Lanka even if the caretakers are fully vaccinated. These children may have come with an adult who is not vaccinated or is fully vaccinated and eligible for exemption of quarantine.

If a fully- vaccinated adult enters a Quarantine Hotel/Centre/Safe and Secure Certified Level 1 Hotel after arriving in Sri Lanka as a caretaker of a child or an adult, that person should remain in the Quarantine Hotel/Centre/Safe and Secure Certified Level 1 Hotel until the quarantine period of the care recipient (child or adult) is completed.

A fully-vaccinated caretaker of a child or an adult who is eligible for exemption of quarantine will not be subjected to exit PCR testing, unless they have symptoms or the person cared for (child or adult) becomes positive/asymptomatic.