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Over 5 m vaccines due before end-July

18 Jul 2021

By Yumiko Perera   Sri Lanka is scheduled to receive several consignments of Covid-19 vaccines over the course of the upcoming weeks, The Sunday Morning learnt.  Speaking with The Sunday Morning, State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana said: "The country is to receive two million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine, which would probably arrive in the island on 22 or 23 July, and it is a commercial purchase of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC)."  Furthermore, according to Prof. Jayasumana, the country is set to receive 1.6 million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine as a donation from the Chinese Government, which would most likely arrive on 27 July.  In addition to that, he also noted that Sri Lanka is expected to receive 1.47 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from Japan. As per the State Minister, the flight is yet to be confirmed. However, it is expected to arrive within the next two weeks, The Sunday Morning learnt.   "In addition to that, we are to receive 150,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine as well, and it would arrive in divided consignments on Monday (19) and in the last week of July,” he added. "The AstraZeneca vaccine would primarily be used to inoculate those who have already obtained the first dose, and the remainder would be sent to Kandy."  Furthermore, he elaborated that the Pfizer doses would be sent to the Mannar and Vavuniya Districts.  Additionally, 400,000 doses of Sinopharm are to be sent to the Kurunegala District; the Galle, Matara, Badulla, and Ratnapura Districts have been allocated 200,000 doses each; 125,000 doses would be allocated to the Hambantota District; and the Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Nuwara Eliya, Monaragala, Ampara, and Trincomalee Districts have been allocated 100,000 doses each, he said.  He further noted that the country has received emergency approval for the use of the Chinese Sinovac vaccine as well.


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