Frontline health workers receive second COVID-19 jab

Frontline health workers in Sri Lanka have begun receiving the second AstraZeneca jab, with vaccination taking place in two centres in Colombo yesterday.

According to a statement issued by the Health Ministry, vaccination of 800 persons took place in Colombo 10 and Colombo 14 with frontline health workers notified of the centres via SMS.

In addition to vaccination, blood samples were also collected at the centres to carry out antibody testing at the Sri Jayewardenepura University so as to determine the effects of the first dose of the vaccine.

In addition to this, the Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Ministry stated that vaccination also took place at the Ranasinghe Premadasa Memorial Hospital. State Minister Channa Jayasumana paid a visit to the hospital while the immunisation program was being carried out.

“We currently have in our possession 350,000 vaccines for the second dose. The first dose was administered to 925,000 persons, so we have a shortage of close to 600,000 doses. India has informed us that this quantity will be supplied in the future and we can administer the second dose without any barriers,” he said.

Jayasumana went on to say that doses of the Spuntnik V vaccine from Russia are due next week.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Army stated that the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was also administered at the Colombo Army Hospital yesterday and that vaccination will take place in 15 military hospitals across the island.