Sri Lanka has systematic and strong program in place for vaccination

COLOMBO: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has emphasized that only vaccination can end the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that people must strictly follow all rules and regulations recommended by the health authorities, as they did during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Only a vaccine can end the COVID-19 pandemic. The government has a systematic and strong program in place to vaccinate the public,” the Presidential Media Division said in a press release.

The government has made arrangements to import four of the COVID-19 vaccines currently approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and to be approved in the near future by the WHO, the release added.

The first imported AstraZeneca vaccine has been administered to 925,242 people.

The second dose of the vaccine will be given in the first week of May this year.

The second dose will first be given to 356,000 people, including frontline health staff and Tri-Forces and Police officers engaged in COVID-19 control.

The Government is holding talks with foreign pharmaceutical firms that produce the AstraZeneca vaccine to meet the remaining demand.

Around 200,000 doses of the Russian made “Sputnik V” Covid-19 vaccine will be available by the end of April, while 400,000 doses will be available in May, 800,000 doses in June and 1,200,000 doses in July this year.

Cabinet approval has already been granted to purchase and import 13 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.

Plans are already on to distribute around 600,000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China to Sri Lanka in the next few weeks following WHO approval.

In addition, the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) has already signed preliminary agreements required for the import of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the Government is in the process of importing this mRNA-based vaccine as soon as possible.