President orders to import Molnupiravir antiviral pill

26 November 2021 03:50 pm

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana to take steps to import Molnupiravir tablet (antiviral medication for COVID-19) through the State Pharmaceutical Corporation in the same manner the Covid vaccines were brought down.

The instruction was given at the meeting of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control today (26),the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.  

The President has instructed the health authorities to take necessary steps to launch a mobile vaccination service to administer a booster dose for people over the age of 60 who had their second dose three months prior.

It was decided to administer the booster dose to all those over the age of 60 who come to the hospital medical clinics.

It was also decided to give the third dose to all those over the age of 20 who have received the second dose of the covid vaccine and suffering from non-communicable diseases. Accordingly, the third dose of the vaccine will be given to cancer patients, persons who are undergoing cancer treatment, transplant patients, hemorrhagic patients, and all those patients with weakened immune systems due to a non-communicable disease.

Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena said the personnel in these categories could obtain the third dose at the respective clinic or at the Office of the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) in the area every Saturday.

The lack of concern among the people in rural areas about the Covid risk and the urgent actions that need to be taken to control the virus spread in these areas and to educate the people were also discussed.