3 February 2021 04:24 pm
The Government has decided to purchase nine million Oxford AstraZeneca COVISHIELD vaccines, Secretary to State Ministry of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID-19 Disease Control Dr. Amal Harsha de Silva said today.
He said Head of the Presidential Task Force for Sri Lanka's COVID- 19 vaccination drive Lalith Weeratunga had informed them the necessity to purchase nine million COVISHIELD vaccines with immediate effect.
"This was informed during a discussion held with him and other stakeholders yesterday," he said.
“Accordingly, we will take appropriate action to purchase the said number of vaccines from India. The consignment of vaccines is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka in February through the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation " he added.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the vaccination drive on people above 60 years will commence from the first week of March.
The vaccination programme in the county commenced on January 29. Initially, the vaccination programme was carried out at six hospitals in Colombo, whereas now it has covered the entire country.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, a total number of 118,767 frontline worker have been vaccinated until last afternoon.
The Health authorities said the Government targets its first vaccination programme to complete vaccinating 250,000 frontline workers. (Sheain Fernandopulle)