• Vaccine will not be given to those below 18 years, pregnant mothers

By Sheain Fernandopulle  

The expert committee of the Health Ministry will decide on the most suitable age group that will receive the Sinopharm vaccines after all Chinese nationals in Sri Lanka have been inoculated, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said yesterday.   

Addressing the media, he said the relevant age groups would be determined with the recommendations put forward by the expert committee.   

“However, the Sinopharm vaccine will not be given to those below 18 years, pregnant mothers and people with chronic diseases,” he stressed.   

“The Sinopharm vaccine will be given to Chinese nationals in Colombo, Hambantota, Kandy and Puttalam. The rest of the vaccines will be given to the locals after the expert committee decides on the most suitable age group,” he said.   Meanwhile, Dr. Samaraweera also said, there was not much of a difference between the different types of COVID vaccines in terms of their effectiveness, but every vaccine was meant to fight against COVID-19.   

However, he said research was underway to determine the effectiveness of receiving two doses from two different types of vaccines.     

• not much of difference between different types of COVID vaccines in terms of their effectiveness but every vaccine was meant to fight against COVID-19