Vaccinate all above 30 in Western Province before 31st July - President

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday (02) instructed the health authorities to vaccinate all citizens above the age of 30 in the Western Province with the COVID-19 vaccine, before the 31st of July.

60% of the Colombo population in this age group have already been vaccinated while the figures for the Gampaha and Kalutara districts stand at 47% & 34 %.

President Rajapaksa emphasized the need to inoculate a higher percentage of people in all parts of the country before September in a systematic manner following the receipt of vaccines that have been ordered.

The President gave these instructions at a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday morning (02) with the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control on the vaccination drive and future operations.

The President expressed confidence that Sri Lanka would soon receive the required amount of AstraZeneca vaccines for the second dose.

The President instructed the health authorities to ensure a streamlined program is in place to provide the second AstraZeneca vaccine dose.

Specialist Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, member of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control, pointed out that the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that a person who has received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine can receive the second dose within a period up to 45 weeks.

The commencement of vaccination drive at the hospitals from last Monday has paved the way to provide COVID- 19 vaccines to a large number of people in a short period of time.

Steps have been taken to continue the method throughout the island.