(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the health sector officials to vaccinate all those over the age of 30 years in the Western Province against COVID-19 before July 31, President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a release Friday.
So far 60% of the people in this age group in the Colombo District, 47% in Gampaha district and 34% in Kalutara district have been given the first dose of the vaccine against Covid-19.
The President has also emphasized the need to inoculate a higher percentage of people in all parts of the country before September in a systematic manner following the receipt of vaccines that have been ordered.
The President gave these instructions at a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (02) with the Special Committee on Covid-19 Control on vaccination and future operations
The President has expressed confidence that Sri Lanka would soon receive the required amount of AstraZeneca vaccines for the second dose. Accordingly, the President has instructed the health officials to make arrangements to give the second dose of AstraZeneca to all those who have been vaccinated with it as the first dose.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that a person who has received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine can receive the second dose within a period up to 45 weeks, Specialist Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, member of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control has said.
With the commencement of vaccinations at hospitals from last Monday, a large number of people have been able to be administered with Covid vaccine in a very short period of time, the PMD said. Steps have also been taken to continue to implement this methodology throughout the island.
Ministers Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Gamini Lokuge, Bandula Gunawardena, Keheliya Rambukwella, Johnston Fernando, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Ramesh Pathirana, State Ministers Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle and Prof. Channa Jayasumana, MP Madhura Withanage, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Health Secretary Major General (Retd.) Specialist Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Commanders of the Navy and Air Force, the Inspector General of Police and the Heads of Health Sector have also attended the said meeting.
