(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – Sri Lanka’s Health Minister Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella says that attention is being paid to start vaccinating children between the ages of 12-18 as soon as possible.
The Minister said that due to the Covid disaster, schools have been closed from time to time for about a year and a half and therefore emphasized that vaccination of children should be started to start schools as soon as possible.
Addressing a discussion on Zoom technology at the Ministry of Health today (09), the Minister said that several international organizations, including the World Health Organization, have pointed out several criteria for the vaccination of children.
With the commencement of vaccination for children, children from grade 7 to grade 13 can be vaccinated in the first stage, the Minister said.
It is hoped that the schools will be able to reopen once the vaccination of school children is completed as the teachers and non-academic staff have been fully vaccinated.
Under the vaccination program, it will be possible to vaccinate around two million children, the Health Minister said.
He further said that 34% of the 20-29 years age group have been vaccinated with the first dose and 12% with the second does.
