27% of SL to get vaccine through COVAX

• Increase from 20% result of WHO decision to deliver 2 b doses 
• Govt. also signs purchase agreement for 10 m doses from Serum Institute 
• Vaccines from India expected next week to expand immunisations 
• Donations for SL military from India and Russia under discussion 

By Shailendree Wickrama Adittiya

Sri Lanka will receive sufficient doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for 27% of the population through the COVAX facility, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) expecting to communicate information on final Q1 and Q2 allocations on 22 February.

Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva yesterday said the country was initially to receive sufficient doses for 20% of the country’s population through the COVAX facility but had been recently informed by WHO that up to 27% of the population could receive COVID-19 immunisation at no cost. Vaccine coverage for 27% of the population through the COVAX facility is a result of a decision to deliver at least two billion doses across the world in 2021. Of this, 1.8 million doses will be available to 92 poorer countries, which amounts to 27% coverage in the country. The 92 countries are likely to receive sufficient doses for 3% of their population by the end of the first half of the year, despite struggles to secure doses due to a shortage of funds and supplies and bilateral deals resulting in unequal distribution.

.In addition to the COVAX facility, Sri Lanka has placed an order for 18 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, and the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) yesterday stated the Government has signed a purchase agreement for 10 million doses of the vaccine with the Serum Institute of India.China has also offered to donate 500,000 doses of their COVID-19 vaccine, and Russia, too, has made similar proposals. In addition to this, donations for Sri Lanka’s military personnel from the military units of India and Russia are also under discussion, Silva said.

The first round of COVID-19 immunisation in the country, carried out with the use of the 500,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine donated by the Government of India, targeted frontline workers, including those from the military.

According to Silva, 38,000 personnel attached to the Army, 4,000 personnel attached to the Navy, and 2,000 personnel attached to the Air Force have been vaccinated thus far.

The Army Commander went on to comment on the public phase of COVID-19 immunisation, saying the initial program will target the Western Province.

“The majority of the vaccinations are for select groups in identified Grama Niladhari Divisions, villages or areas where COVID-19 patients were detected in the past few days. In addition to this, a small percentage of vaccines are administered to persons who regularly come into contact with the public,” he said.

According to Deputy Director-General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath, 23,067 persons were vaccinated on Thursday, and 233,472 persons have been vaccinated overall.

He said the country was expecting to receive by next week the vaccines purchased, which would allow health authorities to expand the immunisation program further.

Dr. Herath also addressed concerns raised about the vaccine, saying: “We say that safety guidelines should be followed even after vaccination. This has been misconstrued as the virus spreading to others from persons who have been vaccinated.”

He clarified that the need to follow safety guidelines even after vaccination was due to the fact that it takes time for the body to build immunity against the virus, and that the spread of COVID-19 will only reduce as higher vaccine coverage is gained.