(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – Prof. Channa Jayasumana, State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals said according to the recommendation received from the health authorities, Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will be given for the second dose to those who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine for the first dose
A study in Germany has shown that vaccinating people with both the Oxford–AstraZeneca and Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines produces a more effective immune response, the State Minister said.
The US-made Pfizer vaccine can be imported to Sri Lanka and according to this study can be given as the second dose replacing the AstraZeneca vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine will be imported in the near future, according to health recommendations, Prof. Jayasumana said.
According to the Epidemiology Unit of Health Ministry, overall the first dose of Covid vaccine was given to 2,380,354 people in the country and the second dose was given to 702,551 people.
