‘Govt. probing possibilities to purchase vaccines assisted by WHO’

• The Government has information that Indonesia and certain African countries have an ex-stock of AstraZeneca vaccine
• Major responsibility lies in the hands of the community
• The first jab protects an individual by about 60% or 70% from the pandemic

By Sandun A Jayaskera  

While admitting that there is a shortage of AstraZeneca vaccine for the second jab, Cabinet Spokesman, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said the Government will explore the possibility of purchasing the booster from countries having excess stock and from countries that produce AstraZeneca vaccine, with the assistance of the WHO.   

“The Government has information that Indonesia and certain African countries have an ex-stock of AstraZeneca vaccine. The, government expects to initiate a dialogue with these countries and countries other than India that produce the vaccine as soon as possible, under the Covax initiative of the World Health Organisation,” Minister Gammanpila added.  

He said a major responsibility was in the hands of the community, not only by strictly following the health guidelines but mobilising others to adhere to them and helping the health authorities, the Army and the Police on those who violated safety measures.   
Responding to journalists at the weekly Cabinet news briefing held  yesterday, the Minister said the entire stock of 600,000 AstraZeneca vaccine received from the Serum Institute of India (SII) had been given to the same number of Sri Lankans as the first jab and that would be sufficient to protect anyone from serious complications even after infection.  

“The first jab protects an individual by about 60% or 70% from the pandemic. The second jab completes the full protection and saves those from serious complications from Covid- 19 even after the infection, according to the medical specialists,” Minister Gammanpila stressed.  

“The SII has no option but to suspend exporting of AstraZeneca vaccine in the aftermath of the sudden and large scale escalation of infections in India and the recent fire that broke out at the facility. The government will start giving the second jab with a different brand of vaccine after the WHO gave the green light. Therefore, no one must worry about the second jab,” he said.  Responding to a journalist, Minister Gammanpila said it was impossible to expect 20,000 deaths from the pandemic by September as all measures had been taken by the government to prevent such a calamity.  

“I would like to know about the study or the people who made this gloomy prediction. This ‘doomsday’ calculation is an insult to the medical fraternity, Army and the Sri Lanka Police who are doing a commendable job to keep the pandemic at bay,”  the Minister noted.  

“Islandwide lock-down will affect the national economy badly. The Government wants to keep a balance between the economic progress as well as the control of the Covid- 19. The economic progress had been stunted during the Yahapalana regime and this government had to bear the brunt of it,” he said.