COVID-19 jabs for children over 12 will be initiated, says PM

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday stated that the government has planned to vaccinate children over 12 years against COVID-19 and the programme in this regard will be initiated step by step.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was speaking at the inauguration of the Southern Province COVID-19 Child Care Unit at the Hambantota Hospital via video technology from Carlton House in Tangalle.

Prime Minister’s wife Shiranthi Rajapaksa inaugurated the Southern Provincial COVID-19 Pediatric Unit at the Hambantota Hospital. She then went on an observation tour with the nursing staff, including its doctors. Covid treatment at Hambantota Hospital was first started in March 2020.It has now treated about 6,000 patients since then.

So far, treatment for children with COVID has been in the women’s ward complex.

Doctors say that with the establishment of the new unit, it will be possible to pay special attention to children.

The concept of the Association of Pediatricians has been to establish COVID-19 Pediatric Units in every province.