Public encouraged to get booster dose, 45,507 persons vaccinated against COVID-19 

Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella on Thursday stated that awareness campaigns are being carried out to encourage persons to get the booster dose. According to the Health Minister, the administration of the booster dose will be completed within a few months, despite a drop in public interest in COVID-19 immunisation. During a discussion with Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Secretary General Jagan Chapagain on Thursday, Rambukwella explained that interest in vaccination seen with the first two doses has reduced with the third dose. He said that public interest in vaccination dropped when there was a decrease in COVID-19 spread and fatalities. 

According to the Health Minister, 95% of the target population has received the second dose of a vaccine and 98% of children have been vaccinated. The Epidemiology Unit states that 16,802,496 persons have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 14,029,704 persons have received the second dose. The booster dose has been administered to 5,987,046 persons, including 42,381 persons vaccinated on Thursday. A total of 45,507 COVID-19 vaccines were administered on Thursday. 

According to the Epidemiology Unit, 941 persons received the first dose of Pfizer on Thursday and 1,338 persons received the second dose of the vaccine. In total, 2,359,765 persons have received the first dose of Pfizer and 610,562 persons have received the second dose of the vaccine. 

On Thursday, 295 persons received the first dose of Sinopharm and 552 persons received the second dose of the vaccine. A total of 11,999,189 persons have received the first dose of Sinopharm, of which 11,057,376 persons have received the second dose as well. 

The first dose of AstraZeneca has been administered to 1,479,631 persons and the second dose has been administered to 1,418,593 persons. 

A total of 804,801 persons have received the first dose of Moderna and 787,361 persons have received the second dose of the vaccine. 

The first dose of Sputnik V has been administered to 159,110 persons and the second dose has been administered to 155,812 persons.