Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 immunisation program has thus far administered the first dose of a vaccine to 12,823,147 persons and the second dose to 9,414,851 persons, which includes the 320,283 persons vaccinated on Monday.

Vaccination of the 20 to 29 age group is currently being carried out with the first dose of a vaccine administered to 29.3% of the target population and the second dose administered to 12.1% of the target population.

First dose coverage in the 20 to 29 age group is highest in the Hambantota District, where 67.5% of the target population has been vaccinated with the first dose and 15.6% has been vaccinated with the second dose.

The Mullativ District has the second highest first dose coverage in the 20 to 29 age group, with 56% having received the first dose and 15.5% having received the second dose.

In Kilinochchi, 53.8% of the 20 to 29 age group has received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 19.2% has received the second dose as well.

In Colombo District, 45.7% of the 20 to 29 age group has received the first dose and 23.7% has received the second dose as well.

While vaccination of the 20 to 29 age group is being given priority, health officials also requested persons over 60 who are yet to be vaccinated to do so.

According to Health Services Deputy Director Dr. Hemantha Herath, the majority of persons over the age of 60 have been vaccinated, but there is still a small percentage of unvaccinated persons.

“There are two main reasons for this. One is concerns about any issues that vaccination can cause due to their age and health conditions,” he said, stressing that the benefits of vaccination outweigh any adverse effects of vaccination.

The Deputy Director of Health Services added that others are unable to travel to vaccination centres. However, mobile vaccination drives are being carried out on a MOH level for such persons.

On Monday, 88,441 persons received the first dose of Sinopharm and 200,961 persons received the second dose of Sinopharm. The first dose of the vaccine has been administered to a total of 10,110,131 persons, of which 7,562,134 persons have received the second dose as well.

The first dose of AstraZeneca has been administered to 1,405,149 persons and the second dose has been administered to 887,724 persons. This includes persons vaccinated on Monday, when 3,417 persons received the first dose of AstraZeneca and 272 persons received the second dose. Thirty persons received the first dose of Moderna on Monday, raising the total number of persons to receive the first dose of the vaccine to 772,396. Of this, 705,610 persons have received the second dose as well.

On Monday, 1,286 persons received the first dose of Pfizer and 24,550 persons received the second dose of Pfizer. The first dose of the vaccine has been administered to a total of 376,383 persons and the second dose to 216,308 persons.

The second dose of Sputnik V was administered to 1,326 persons on Monday, raising the number of persons to receive the second dose of the vaccine to 43,075. The first dose of the vaccine has been administered to 159,088 persons.

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