Sunday Apr 28, 2024
Sunday Apr 28, 2024
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The ongoing COVID-19 immunisation drive saw 66,977 persons vaccinated in the country on Sunday, bringing the total number of persons to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to 1,608,518.
The second dose of the vaccine has been administered to 348,224 persons.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 65,104 persons received the first dose of Sinopharm on Sunday and 666,612 persons have received the first dose of Sinopharm, while 2,435 persons have received the second dose as well. Both doses have been administered only to Chinese nationals working in Sri Lanka and the second jab for Sri Lankans will commence on 8 June.
The first dose of Sputnik V was administered to 1,680 persons on Sunday and 16,664 persons have received the vaccine to date.
The Epidemiology Unit adds that 193 persons received the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. At present, 925,242 persons have received the first dose of the vaccine and 345,789 persons have received the second dose as well.
Concerns were raised yesterday about the possibility of a shortage of the Sputnik V second dose, after a declaration of consent to receive even only the first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine was rubber stamped in Sinhala on the regular consent form. This was seen in a COVID-19 vaccination centre in Kandy.
However, the Health Ministry stated they were not aware of shortages of the second dose of the Sputnik V, which is a different product to the first dose.
Health Ministry Media Spokesperson Dr. Hemantha Herath said any such issue would be communicated through mainstream media but that no such advice has been issued to the knowledge of the Health Ministry.
“The second dose is a different product, so the administration of the second dose cannot be done by administering the first dose again. A separate vaccine dose must be used for this,” Dr Herath added.
