• Pfizer vaccine to be administerd to differently-abled children
• Yet to receive recommendations from health experts to administer vaccines to school children

By Sheain Fernandopulle

Making a statement on the re-opening of schools in the country, State Minister Channa Jayasumana said priority will be given to schools in rural areas where there are students numbering below 100 when reopening schools.
He said the decision has been taken at the COVID-19 meeting based on the fact that the school children in rural areas hardly use public transport when coming to schools and added the use of public transport would be highly risky for students at this point in time. 

Commenting on administering vaccines for school children, he said they were yet to receive the recommendations from the health experts to give vaccines to school children.

"We will commence the vaccination rollout as soon as we get the green light from the experts,” the State Minister said.

However, the experts have recommended providing Pfizer vaccine for differently-abled children. Accordingly, the vaccination drive for such school children will kick off next week. Meanwhile, he said Sri Lanka will be getting a batch of four million Pfizer vaccines in October.

“We are hoping to use these vaccines for school children accordingly,” he added.