Advance payment made to buy Pfizer vaccine as booster dose - SPC Chairman

Fourteen million Pfizer jabs have been ordered to be administered as a booster shot for the COVID-19 vaccine, Chairman of the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Dr. Prasanna Gunasena said.

Speaking to the media, Dr. Gunasena said that the advance payment for the stock of vaccines has already been made.

The payment will be complete via the World Bank by October 01, he added.

Dr. Gunasena said that the recommendation for a third dose was made by the Expert Committee on Vaccination and Epidemiology in May.

The booster vaccine could be administered six months after ordering the stocks, he said.

Dr. Gunasena further said, “The Expert Committee on Vaccines and Epidemics last May requested that a third dose of the vaccine be given to people who may be at risk in the affected areas due to weakened immunity. Based on the recommendations, we discussed with the Pfizer company and they agreed to give us 14 million shots.

This accounts for about 60 percent of our population that should be vaccinated.

Following the double vaccination, if the immunity appears to reduce, it [booster dose] is given to everyone without any holdbacks. There is no need to fear that vaccines will run out. Arrangements have been made to obtain the sufficient quantity for Sri Lanka.“