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Health Ministry dismisses concerns on Pfizer

2 January 2021 05:41 am - 15     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The Health Ministry has dismissed concerns on the Pfizer vaccine following reports that a woman who obtained the vaccine tested positive for the coronavirus one week later.

Deputy Director-general of Public Health Services, Dr. Hemantha Herath said that any vaccine will have a small percentage of failure.

A 45-year-old nurse in California tested positive for COVID-19 more than a week after receiving the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

Dr. Hemantha Herath told reporters yesterday that vaccines issued for other viruses have also had a small failure ratio.

He also noted that the Pfizer vaccine and all other vaccines mention the failure percentage so it is to be expected.

The World Health Organization on Thursday approved the Pfizer-biontech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, a move aimed at helping the developing world gain access to the vaccine sooner.

Dr. Herath said that Sri Lanka is looking at Pfizer and other vaccines with an open mind and will decide on the best vaccine soon.

Asked about the cost of the logistical arrangements if Sri Lanka were to obtain the Pfizer vaccine, Dr. Herath said that Sri Lanka is giving priority to the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and other matters will be secondary.

Professor Neelika Malavige from the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said that based on available reports Pfizer is the best available vaccine.

She said that Pfizer will cost USD 40 for two doses while the other best option, Oxford-astrazeneca will cost USD 7 for two doses. Professor Malavige said that the price of the vaccines have been made public.(EASWARAN RUTNAM)


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  Comments - 15

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  • Selvakumar Saturday, 02 January 2021 08:09 AM

    Pfro, it's not price issue have to understand which vaccines have remove faster than other vaccines from the corona virus from body's permanently !!!

    Sokrates Saturday, 02 January 2021 08:30 AM

    Better a vaccine which is working for 95% than this Chinese or Russian rubbish which is working only for 65%/75%. The prices are both good. (The whole country could be vaccinated with Pfizer for about $ 800,000,000 and with Oxford-astrazeneca for about $ 140,000,000. Gotha has much more looted money in his Virgin Islands account)

    Cisco Saturday, 02 January 2021 09:01 AM

    Sokrates, Have you seen Goth's accounts details? Please share wit us also to check ourselves also.

    FF Saturday, 02 January 2021 09:09 AM

    GOTA OR ANY OTHER OF HIS BROTHERS IS NOT GOING TO SPEND THEIR MONIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY THAT THEY CLAIM THEY LOVE. THEY WILL TRY TO COLLECT MORE, BUT NEVER SPEND FOR THE COUNTRY. WE ARE TRYING TO FOR FREE AND NOT BUY. THAT IS THE DELAY

    vince Saturday, 02 January 2021 12:45 PM

    Are you a frigging epidemiologist and an expert on vaccines to rubbish vaccines made in the east? If you are, give us the data or just shut the f£££ up.

    Dee Saturday, 02 January 2021 08:40 AM

    Enter the Putin!

    Sisira Saturday, 02 January 2021 08:57 AM

    Sokrates, you are an idiot with no proper education. Chinese and Russian vaccines have much better efficacy than the Oxford vaccine , that was why even Britain chose Pfizer first. Further Indians are producing this vaccine like “Assembling Japanese Made Cars” with permission from Oxford vaccine team. Only a gullible fool like you would think it is safe to buy from the Indian production line.

    Professor T S G Peiris Saturday, 02 January 2021 09:20 AM

    Any drug is not 100% effective. When we are treated various drugs by our medical doctors they do not care side effects. They are not aware the effective rates as well. I do not thing that any drug has been tested by our doctors whether the claim by the drug company is true or false in sri Lankan environment. There are various ways we can compare. Various statistical parameters can be used. A 45 year women get COVID19 after the injection is not a scientific evident to say one is better than other. Medical doctors should consult senior applied statisticians. The statisticians play a major role in FDA. So why do our doctors do not listen to statisticians. Even the new 'paniya' can be easily tested without delaying if you get involve applied statisticians. Doctors alone can not decide.

    Ranaweera Saturday, 02 January 2021 09:41 AM

    If Gota has money abroad, please prove it. Why write here without proof. Prove it. Be courage. If you feel scared then go abroad and disclose to the CNN, BBC. But the reality is that you have nothing to prove , you just write false comments Mr socrstes.

    BigEars Saturday, 02 January 2021 10:03 AM

    Please do not talk of cost of the vaccine. What we need is to get a vaccine that is best. You jokers all blame Rajitha for bring down cheap drugs. Now you say the same.

    BigEars Saturday, 02 January 2021 10:04 AM

    Now we are reaping the benefit of unprecedented borrow. We are now in a position of not being able to purchase a very important vaccine and all are playing ball.

    Kanday Saturday, 02 January 2021 11:26 AM

    To clarify: Pfizer needs two vaccine doses to work. Without both doses people can catch covid. It is 95% effective AFTER the second dose only.

    Sokrates Saturday, 02 January 2021 12:43 PM

    @ cisco, Sisira

    Lord Wolfstein Saturday, 02 January 2021 12:52 PM

    This is the official price list that EU countries have to pay for a dose: Astra Zeneca: 1,78 Euro; Johnson

    Success Saturday, 02 January 2021 01:07 PM

    It is not the odd failures that matters but see the success rate of the vaccine that should be taken to arrive at a wise decision.


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