The Government expects the first consignment of the newly purchased Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to reach the country in two weeks, Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals State Minister Channa Jayasumana said. An order for 18 million doses of India’s Serum Institute manufacturer Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines was made since the Government plans to vaccinate 15 percent of the population. “Altogether we have a population of 22 million and we made a calculation for around 15 million when people below the age of 18, pregnant women and compromised people are excluded.
The country’s requirement is 30 million doses”, State Minister Jayasumana said. Earlier, India donated 500,000 doses and another 300,000 are expected to arrive from China. By 8.30pm on Friday (5) 156,310 people were vaccinated under the Covid-19 immunisation program that commenced on January 29. Presidential Task Force on Economic Recovery and Poverty Alleviation Chairman Basil Rajapaksa told a meeting at Temple Trees this week that the country should aim to become the first country to vaccinate the whole population, adding that the Covid-19 vaccination drive should be intensified.