Decision on mixing Astrazeneca with Pfizer within two weeks: Health Minister

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said today that they expect to obtain the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) that was studying the possibility of using Pfizer vaccine as the second dose for those who had received Astrazeneca (Covishield) jabs as their first dose, within the next two weeks.

She told Parliament that the Government was making every effort and was engaged in diplomatic level discussions with other countries to procure the shortfall of 582,000 Covishield vaccines to be given as the second dose.

The Minister said if all the efforts fail, steps would be taken to provide the Pfizer vaccine as the second dose.

" Sri Lanka expects to receive 264,000 Covishield vaccines under COVAX facility. A large number of countries have conducted studies on the possibility of mixing Covid vaccines and come out with positive results. We are hoping to obtain the recommendations of the ACCD and the expert committee within the next two weeks,” she said while responding to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.