COVID Jabs for all over 30 by September 15 | Daily News

COVID Jabs for all over 30 by September 15

ALL ABOVE 18 TO BE INOCULATED
More than 8.2 million have received first dose
Progress in acquiring vaccine stocks, a great accomplishment
President’s Senior Advisor Lalith Weeratunga and Pesident’s Media DG Sudewa Hettiarachchi at yesterday’s launch.(Picture by PMD)
President’s Senior Advisor Lalith Weeratunga and Pesident’s Media DG Sudewa Hettiarachchi at yesterday’s launch.(Picture by PMD)

President’s Senior Advisor Lalith Weeratunga yesterday said that the vaccination of all citizens over 30 will be completed by September 15.

He also added that plans have been made to vaccinate all between ages 18 and 30. This will be implemented as soon as World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations are received. Weeratunga was responding to questions from journalists after the opening of the Presidential Media Centre (PMC).

Later the journalists were briefed on the progress and future plans of the COVID 19 vaccination drive.

“According to a recent report, over 90 per cent of the vaccines have been shared among the wealthiest countries in the world while only less than 5 per cent of global vaccines have been distributed among the developing countries. Therefore, the progress made by Sri Lanka in acquiring adequate vaccine stocks is a great accomplishment,” Weeratunga added.

Journalists at the Presidential Media Centre yesterday.Pictures by PMD.

President’s Media Division Director General Sudewa Hettiarachchi noted that it is the responsibility of all the journalists to make the Presidential Media Centre a unique facility for sharing accurate information.

President’s Spokesperson, Kingsley Rathnayaka highlighted that the Presidential Media Centre could be introduced as one of the foremost steps taken to fulfill the President’s promise to provide accurate information to the public as envisioned in the national policy framework “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”.

Briefing the media at length on the progress made by the COVID-19 vaccination drive and the steps taken by the President to carry it out more effectively Rathnayaka said as of Wednesday, 72 per cent of people over 30 years in the country had been given their first dose. “The government has also taken steps to give the second dose to 16 per cent of the people”.The spokesperson also said that more than 8.2 million people have so far received the first dose of any of the COVID-19 vaccines and more than 1.8 million people have taken the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

“As of yesterday, 84 per cent of people over 30 years in the Colombo District have been given the first dose. In the Gampaha District, more than 93 per cent have received the first dose. In the Kalutara district this percentage has exceeded 85 per cent,” he added.

More than 99 per cent of people over 30 years in the Matale District have received their first dose.

Rathnayaka noted that a mobile vaccination service for those who are ill and unable to leave their homes is already in operation on the instructions of the President.

On the procurement of vaccines he said as of July 28, Sri Lanka had received 10.7 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine and 1,264,000 doses of the Covishield (AstraZeneca) vaccine and in addition received 180,000 doses of Sputnik V and 202,000 doses of Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines.

Describing the delay in procuring the Covishield vaccine for the second dose he said as one of the steps in this process, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa made a request to the Japanese Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihide Suga to provide Covishield vaccines.“As a result, Sri Lanka will receive 1.47 million AstraZeneca vaccines from Japan within next few days. It has been decided to allocate 600,000 doses for those who have taken the first dose in the Colombo District.

The President has instructed that the remaining doses be given as the first and second doses to the people of the Kegalle District”.

He said Sri Lanka has now become one of the fastest vaccinating countries in South Asia.

He said the President has instructed that the procurement and distribution of vaccines should be done in a transparent manner and even the World Bank has appreciated the methods followed by Sri Lanka in the procurement process for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines.

The new Presidential Media Centre is located at the ground floor of the former Chartered Bank Building in front of the President’s House in Colombo Fort.

The PMC aims to provide accurate and efficient information to the media and the public on the progress of the implementation of programmes to fulfill the pledges made to the people in the policy statement, “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”.

During this weekly media briefing, journalists get an opportunity to ask questions directly (in person) or via online from the President’s Spokesman and Government officials on selected topics. The Media Centre is equipped with all facilities and can host up to 40 journalists at a time.


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