COVID-19 vaccines that Sri Lanka receives will be made available to the public giving priority to districts identified as ‘high risk areas’ for the viral spread, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.
The PMD said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, addressing a meeting of the National Committee on Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) had put forward a comprehensive mechanism to vaccinate a majority of the population against COVID-19 before September 2021. It noted that 200,000 doses of the 2 million Sinopharm vaccine, which were expected on Sunday (11) were to be allocated for Colombo District while, 500,000 were for Gampaha and another 300,000 doses of the consignment for the Kalutara District.
The aim was to vaccinate all persons over 30 years of age in the Western Province before 30 July 2021. Quoting President Rajapaksa, the PMD said a total 100,000 vaccines each had been allocated for Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Anuradhapura, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, Badulla and Matale Districts.
While 200,000 more doses had been allocated for the Kurunegala District. The Division said another 1.47 million doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine were expected within the next two weeks. Of this, 600,000 doses will be allocated to the Colombo District for the people who have received the first dose while the remaining doses would be given as the first and second doses to the people of the Kegalle District.
“Plans have been made to administer the Pfizer vaccine doses that were received, to people in the Mannar and Vavuniya Districts while Moderna, which is yet to reach Sri Lanka, will be allocated to the Kandy District.
It was decided further that the coronavirus jabs the country was to receive in the future were to be administered in a scientific manner taking into consideration the spread of the virus. The PMD said the President had also called for steps to be taken to make room for the resumption of economic activities as a significant percentage of doses had already been given to people. The need to brief foreign diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka on the country’s vaccination drive was also discussed.
Ministers Pavitra Wanniarachchi, Bandula Gunawardena, Keheliya Rambukwella, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Prasanna Ranatunga and Namal Rajapaksa, State Ministers Sudharshani Fernandopulle, Prof. Channa Jayasumana, Sisira Jayakody, MP Madhura Withanage, Senior Advisor to the President, Lalith Weeratunga, Health Secretary, Major General (Rtd) Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, the Commanders of the three armed forces and the IGP and heads of the State health service were present.
