• Vaccine to be administered on 55-69 age group  
• Vaccination to commence tomorrow ( Wednesday)

By Easwaran Rutnam   

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed the Ministry of Health (MOH) to issue 25,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to the City of Colombo to be used as the second jab on those who obtained the AstraZeneca vaccine.    

The President had faith in the transparent system followed by the CMC in administering Covid vaccines to the most needy.   We have already inoculated 88% of Colombo citizens who are 70 years and above with the AstraZeneca vaccine as the second dose”

Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake told Daily Mirror last night the vaccine will be administered on Colombo residents between the ages of 55 to 69, who obtained the AstraZeneca vaccine as the first dose. The first consignment of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday. Sri Lanka received 26,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine purchased by the State Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Senanayake said that the President had faith in the transparent system followed by the CMC in administering Covid vaccines to the most needy. “We have already inoculated 88% of Colombo citizens who are 70 years and above with the AstraZeneca vaccine as the second dose,” she said. She said the CMC will now embark on inoculating those between the ages of 55 and 69. Senanayake said that the decision was taken because the President and she,as the Mayor of Colombo, are keen to protect the most vulnerable population. She said that the CMC hopes to start administering the second jab using the Pfizer vaccine from tomorrow (Wednesday 7th July) at three vaccination centres, namely the Roxy Garden Community Center in Wellawatte, P.D.Sirisena Grounds Maligawatte and the Army Hospital in Narahenpita. She said that those who are to be administered the vaccine will receive an SMS.