People aged 30 years and above from 19 Grama Niladhari Divisions in Colombo District are expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19 today (February 27), as per a recent decision taken by the Ministry of Health.

Among the Grama Niladhari Divisions identified as high-risk areas for novel coronavirus are Modara, Bloemendhal, Kotahena, Lunupokuna, Grandpass, Keselawatte and Jinthupitiya, Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni, the Chief Medical Officer of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) said.

Accordingly, 6,000 vaccine doses will be administered to the individuals belonging to said age group from the identified Grama Niladhari Divisions.

The Health Ministry yesterday (February 26) announced its plans to extend the inoculation program to people aged 30 years and above from Grama Niladhari Divisions in Colombo and Gampaha districts, which are at high risk.

All Directors of Health Services in the Western Province, Regional Directors of Health Services in Colombo and Gampaha districts and Chief Medical Officers of Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) were directed to identify the high-risk areas in order to proceed with the inoculation programme.

Director-General of Health Services gave further instructions to the authorities to work in coordination with the Epidemiology Unit to implement the vaccination programme for people in the said age group.

Meanwhile, a media release issued by the Epidemiology Unit last evening (February 26) revealed that 406,633 persons in total have received COVID jabs ever since Sri Lanka kicked off its inoculation program on the January 29.

Last month, India donated 500,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute, to Sri Lanka. The vaccine consignment arrived in the island on January 28 and the jabs were administered to frontline health workers and members of the Armed forces on priority base. 

The vaccination program was extended to the general public and parliamentarians last week.

Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield is being manufactured by Pune-based Serum Institute. The SII has collaborated with Oxford University and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for making the vaccine.

In the meantime, a consignment of 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccines purchased from India arrived in Sri Lanka on February 25.

The purchase was part of an order signed between State Pharmaceutical Corporation and Serum Institute of India (SII) for 10 million doses of the vaccine valued at USD 52.5 million.

In addition, Cabinet of Ministers on February 22 gave the approval to purchase 3.5 million of Covid-19 vaccines from the United Kingdom. The SPC is expected to enter into an agreement with the AstraZeneca PLC for the procurement.