Sri Lanka plans to import Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine

The government is considering the use of single-shot Johnson & Johnson (J&J) coronavirus vaccine for Sri Lanka’s inoculation driver, says State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID-19 Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle.

Her remarks came during a media briefing held earlier today (March 17).

She noted that Sri Lanka has witnessed a decrease in its figures of positive COVID-19 cases, adding that the government is looking into procuring other brands of coronavirus vaccines.

Chairman of State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) has informed Pfizer Inc. to send the relevant documents to register the vaccine in Sri Lanka, the State Minister added.

In another context, administering Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID vaccines to selected people in two Grama Niladhari Divisions in Morawaka began earlier today (March 17).

Accordingly, the inoculation program was commenced in Weliwa and Kodikaragoda in this manner as there two areas were identified as high-risk areas for virus infection.

Majority of the positive cases recently detected from Morawaka area had been reported from the aforesaid two Grama Niladhari Divisions.

As per statistics, more than 790,000 have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine and they are expected to receive the second dose by the second week of April.

Meanwhile, sources revealed that nearly 200 parliamentarians including 50 retired MPs have received COVID jabs so far.