The administration of the 264,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine the country received through the COVAX facility commenced yesterday.

Vaccination began in Rajagiriya and priority will be given to elders’ homes, Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Minister Channa Jayasumana said yesterday.

“The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines provided to the country through the COVAX facility were distributed (yesterday) and we have arranged for the vaccines to be administered to persons over the age of 60,” he said.

The State Minister explained that any vaccines purchased from India will be used to vaccinate persons over the age of 30 and that it was the COVAX vaccines that would specifically target persons over 60.

Addressing concerns about the vaccine and the decision taken by certain European nations to suspect the usage of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine over fears of blood clots, Jayasumana said no such decision has been taken in Sri Lanka yet but that an expert committee is looking into the matter.

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