Sri Lanka Astrazeneca Second Dose
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has commenced the administration of the second dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. This decision comes after receiving assurances from India’s Serum Institute that additional consignments of the vaccine will be sent soon[^1^].
Frontline Workers Receive Second Dose
State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics, and COVID Disease Control, Sudarshani Fernandopulle, stated that frontline workers are the first to receive the second dose of the vaccine[^1^]. The inoculation process is taking place at the Army Hospital, where military personnel and frontline health workers are being administered the vaccine[^1^].
A Delayed Vaccination Program
Sri Lanka initiated its COVID-19 vaccination program in late January, receiving 500,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine from India as a “gift”[^1^]. Unfortunately, the program was interrupted as the AstraZeneca vaccine manufacturer, Serum Institute of India, halted vaccine supply due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in India[^1^].
Resuming the Vaccination Program
Following recent assurances from the Serum Institute of India regarding the dispatch of more vaccine doses, the Sri Lankan government has decided to resume the vaccination program[^1^]. According to the Colombo Gazette newspaper, Fernandopulle mentioned that the government still has 300,000 doses from the initial consignment received from India[^1^].
Variant Responsible for COVID-19 Infections
Chandima Jeewandara, the Director of Allergy, Immunity, and Cell Biology at Sri Jayewardenepura University, stated that the B.1.1.7 variant, initially detected in the UK, is responsible for the current wave of COVID-19 infections in Sri Lanka[^1^]. On Tuesday, the country reported 1,111 COVID-19 cases, the highest number recorded since March 2020[^1^]. Health officials have cautioned the public about a potential surge following the traditional new year festival in mid-April[^1^].
Preparedness and Public Safety
General Shavendra Silva, who is leading the COVID-19 prevention operation in the country, emphasized the importance of preparedness and urged the public to stock up on essential items due to the possibility of more areas being placed under lockdown[^1^]. Silva emphasized the significance of being proactive in the face of the situation, stating that there is no need to instill fear or hide information, but instead be prepared for any eventuality[^1^].
So far, Sri Lanka has reported 655 deaths and 103,487 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to data from Johns Hopkins University[^1^].
[^1^]: Source: Original Article