Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control State Minister Dr. Sudharshini Fernandopulle stated that the government was determined to vaccinate all of the targeted population.
“We are making all necessary arrangements to purchase COVID-19 vaccines from wherever in the world. We also have a shortage of 600,000 AstraZeneca jabs and requests have been made from the private sector to find 10 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine since it is the most suitable vaccine for people above 60,” she said.
She further stated that the virus can be contracted even after having been inoculated.
“But the risk of death is low.We will not be able to remove the mask for years to come,” she said.
As per Epidemiology Unit statistics, the first dose of the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine has been given to 925,242 individuals and the second dose of the same vaccine has been given to 265,465 persons by yesterday.
The Sinopharm vaccine has been given to 348,619 people after it was rolled out among Sri Lankan nationals on May 8.
A total of 14,699 individuals have received the first dose of the Russia-made Sputnik V vaccine. The country received the first batch of Sputnik V vaccine containing 15,000 doses on May 4.
