Principal Advisor to President, Lalith Weeratunga says Sri Lankan citizens will not be forced to receive the vaccine against Covid-19.
Addressing a media briefing earlier today (January 27), he said getting vaccinated for the novel coronavirus is not mandatory and that inoculation drive will go ahead on a voluntary basis.
Mr Weeratunga noted that however, those who decide to get themselves vaccinated will be required to fill a consent form before receiving the jab.
The first consignment of Covid-19 vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVISHIED jabs manufactured by Serum Institute in India – is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka tomorrow morning (January 28).
Accordingly, 500,000 vials of doses in total will be received by Sri Lanka as a donation from India to curb the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
The vaccines will be first administered to health workers who are on the front line of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
The consignment weighing 1,323 kilograms will be brought to Sri Lanka by a special cold storage aircraft, AI-281.
