Public announcement on Covid vaccine soon: Health Ministry

• Comprehensive report submitted to WHO • Facility designed to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to vaccines

A crucial public announcement is to be made soon with regards to the coronavirus vaccine to be used in Sri Lanka, the Health Ministry said. Health Promotion Bureau Director

Dr. Palitha Karunapema said that several measures have been taken to secure the Covid vaccine for Sri Lanka. He said that a comprehensive report has been submitted to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the manner in which the vaccine provided to Sri Lanka through the COVAX facility will be utilised.

The COVAX facility along with Gavi COVAX AMC, is designed to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The WHO is to provide the vaccine for 20 per cent of Sri Lanka’s population, free of charge. Dr. Karunapema said that the Health Ministry would make a comprehensive public announcement soon on the vaccine Sri Lanka hopes to secure, how it would be made available and who the first recipients would be.

The Government has already prepared a priority list for the vaccine and has submitted the list to the WHO. Dr. Karunapema told reporters yesterday that there had been concerns over some vaccines following reports that a few people who were injected with at least one brand of vaccine had died a few days later.

He said the health authorities are closely studying the developments and will ensure the safest vaccine is provided to Sri Lanka. Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said that extensive details on the vaccine Sri Lanka hopes to obtain through the WHO and from other countries will be made public soon. He said that Sri Lanka has been in talks with a number of countries to secure the best available vaccines.