Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Friday, 28 May 2021 00:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A quarter of the consignment of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm the island received from China on Wednesday has been allocated for the vaccination of select persons out of the Western Province, with the remaining set aside to administer the second dose.
According to a statement issued by the Department of Government Information, 150,000 doses will be used to vaccinate persons in the Galle, Matara, and Kurunegala Districts, taking the country’s COVID-19 immunisation program beyond the Western Province.
Priority for vaccination will be given to groups selected by health units.
The remaining 375,000 doses of Sinopharm will be set aside to administer the second dose of the vaccine, which will commence on 8 June.
While the 500,000 doses of Sinopharm were a donation from China, the country previously received a donation of 600,000 doses of the same vaccine from China. Three million doses of Sinopharm ordered by Sri Lanka are due to arrive in the island soon, the Department of Government Information stated. Meanwhile, State Minister of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation Prof. Channa Jayasumana said 50,000 doses of Sputnik V were due to arrive in the island last night. The country previously received 15,000 doses of Sputnik V from Russia.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 1,461,696 persons have received the first dose of the Sinopharm, Sputnik V, and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines and 343,976 persons have received the second dose as well.
This includes 3,646 persons who received the first dose of Sinopharm and 699 persons who received the second dose of AstraZeneca on Wednesday.
At present, 925,242 persons have received the first dose of AstraZeneca, 341,541 persons have received the second dose of AstraZeneca, 521,470 persons have received the first dose of Sinopharm, 2,435 persons have received the second dose of Sinopharm, and 14,984 persons have received the first dose of Sputnik V.
