SL hopeful of vaccine by mid February

5 December 2020 06:01 am - 15 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka can pin hopes on a vaccine approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) by the middle of February, next year, a Minister said yesterday.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana told Daily Mirror the WHO conveyed it to the Sri Lanka health authorities last week. Earlier, the WHO indicated that a successful vaccine could be approved by the middle of next year only.

Prof. Jayasumana said the health authorities had appointed two committees, and were vigilant on vaccine developments in countries such as the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and India.
“We are open in this regard,” he said.

Asked about the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine which had been endorsed by the UK for its citizens, the Minister said the vaccine’s cold-chain requirements could not be maintained in a tropical country like Sri Lanka. He said the vaccine should be kept at a frigid -70 degrees Celsius.

“In countries with cold climatic conditions, it can be done. In Sri Lanka, we have such facilities only in the Blood Bank and some universities. We cannot install such arrangements at each health division for mass vaccination. It is impractical,” he said. (Kelum Bandara)

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Comments - 15

Lord Wolfstein Saturday, 05 December 2020 08:25 AM

There are containers with this deep freeze facilities and then can keep the vaccine for up to 3 days in a normal fridge.

Mm Saturday, 05 December 2020 08:26 AM

We are so backward compared to the rest of the world

ravin Saturday, 05 December 2020 08:48 AM

We had enough of politicas tongue wagging stories. Show the results we believe you. Otherwise ................ ???

Farook Saturday, 05 December 2020 08:51 AM

What is practical,every is not possible,Please hand over who can do it without wasting time.

selvakumar Saturday, 05 December 2020 09:57 AM

I don't things so the coronavirus vaccines will be different from country to country, anyway British vaccine will be power than other other countries vaccines???

disappointed Saturday, 05 December 2020 10:17 AM

FAil! FAil!

Rajpal De Silva Saturday, 05 December 2020 11:24 AM

WHO says the approval of vaccines will be done mid 2021. How can the SL gov start vaccination by February.

Resde Aswe Saturday, 05 December 2020 11:38 AM

Why do we need to wait for WHO. Can't we have our own expertise to approve vaccination.

Srilankan Saturday, 05 December 2020 12:10 PM

Sir failed again.

Kanday Saturday, 05 December 2020 01:20 PM

We dont want the bad vaccines - like the Oxford one- ineffective (62%), highly problematic, old technology vaccine. Come on govt - get us the good stuff. Pfizer or Moderna. We are a small country. Get five super cooling fridges- costs $20,000 for one. And put them in the five biggest cities. Job done. Its not about a tropical country - its about having the right equipment. US also gets very hot in the summer. Stop making excuses.

Selvakumar Saturday, 05 December 2020 01:37 PM

Still unstable answer going on, base on coronavirus vaccine arrive to island, ???

Basil.Mark Saturday, 05 December 2020 03:19 PM

Think of hotel cold rooms and warehouses exporting seafood.Everyone will be glad to donate space if the country could revert back to normal.The vaccine can be carried to all areas by freezer trucks.If carefully planned it is not an impossible feat.

Uncle Sam Saturday, 05 December 2020 09:04 PM

Don't hide behind excuses.. Gather private sector leaders ( JKH, Hayleys, Aitken Spence etc )and pool resources. Form a Special Task Force for vaccination and get this done. Without proper vaccinations, tourists will not show up.

Demuni Uduwara Saturday, 05 December 2020 09:49 PM

We can ascertain now where we are in. Really a failed state. At least in this instance let us build a National Government.

nad Sunday, 06 December 2020 05:14 AM

Cannot be maintained not because of SL's tropical climate. Even in cold countries need to keep in -70c. SL can afford to provide only for a few rich politicians and the business community

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SL hopeful of vaccine by mid February

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