(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana says India’s decision to temporarily suspend exports of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVISHIELD vaccines manufactured by the Serum Institute is unlikely to affect Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 vaccination drive.
He said the one million doses of vaccines ordered by Sri Lanka, scheduled to arrive within the next two months, will not be affected by the temporary hold on the exports of Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines by India.
Prof. Jayasumana said Sri Lanka is expecting another consignment of 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines which have already been ordered from India next month.
The State Minister said the country has sufficient doses to administer the second dose to those who received the first jab, till the end of May.
On Wednesday, BBC reported that India has placed a temporary hold on all exports of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, as the COVID-19 cases are rising in the country the doses were needed to meet the domestic demand.
