Over 70 percent of Covid-19 deaths are among those over the age of 60 and, therefore, it is essential for those over 60 to obtain the booster dose (Pfizer) as soon as possible, Health Promotion Bureau Director Dr. Ranjith Batuwanthudawa said. He told a press briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau in Colombo on Friday that almost 60 percent of the population over the age of 60 has already been vaccinated with the booster dose but there is 40 percent who need to be vaccinated as soon as possible.
Dr. Batuwanthudawa said that the percentage of the population over 16 who have obtained the booster dose is only 42 percent. Today, 99 percent of the Covid-19 cases reported in Sri Lanka are of the Omicron variant.
The Omicron variant infects people speedily and the infected people recover at the same speed. Those infected stop infecting others after five days.
Infected people can report to work after seven days from the date of becoming positive if they do not have any symptoms, he added.