SL to receive vaccines from India despite temporary halt

Sri Lanka will be getting the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines from India despite the temporary halt imposed by India on the export of the vaccines, Prof. Channa Jayasumana, the State Minister of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation said.

He said India would pay special consideration as Sri Lanka had already placed the order to purchase the required amount of vaccines.

“Accordingly, Sri Lanka will receive a stock of 500,000 AstraZeneca vaccines in near future,” he added.

Foreign media today reported that India has put a temporary hold on all major exports of the AstraZeneca coronavirus shot made by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s biggest vaccine-maker, to meet domestic demand as infections rise.

State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana said Sri Lanka had a sufficient stock of AstraZeneca vaccines required for the second rollout, and therefore people should not worry about the export suspension announced by India.

He said Sri Lanka received over 1.2 million doses and only 800,000 doses were vaccinated. He said the people who received the jabs first would start receiving the second doses from April 10.

“It means we have stocks required till May,” he added. (Kelum Bandara and Sheain Fernadopulle)