First consignment of Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine arrives in Sri Lanka

The first consignment of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVISHIELD vaccine provided by India was ceremonially handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by at the Bandaranike International Airport (BIA) this morning by Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay. 

A special flight chartered by the Indian Government (AI 281) carrying 500, 000 doses of the vaccine touched down at the BIA at around 11.45am today. 

Developed by Oxford University in England, the AstraZeneca COVISHIELD vaccine is manufactured by Serum Institute in Mumbai. The vaccines were donated under India's #VaccineMaitri initiative. 

The President's Media Division (PMD) stated that plans have been drawn up to distribute the vaccine across all 25 districts of the country. 

The process of administering the vaccine will commence tomorrow (29) at six key hospitals in the Western Province. Under the first stage of the process, frontline health workers will receive about 150, 000 doses of the vaccine, while 120, 000 will be given to triforces and police personnel. 

Meanwhile, the Chinese Government has also pledged to donate 300, 000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed in China, said Presidential Advisor and head of the Presidential Task Force for overseeing the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, Lalith Weeratunga. 

Mr Weeratunga added that it is up to each individual to decide whether or not to get vaccinated and stressed that the Government will not force people to get vaccinated for COVID-19. 

Pix Courtesy PMD