The long awaited Astrazeneca Covishield vaccine doses to be given as the booster shot for those who received the first dose in March this year, arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday evening. The vaccines were received as a donation from the Japanese Government through WHO’s Covax facility, following a request by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Airport authorities confirmed that SriLankan Airlines flight UL455 carrying the 728,460 doses of vaccine arrived from Japan’s Narita International Airport. Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Japanese Ambassador Akira Sugiyama and officials of UNICEF were present at the handing over of the vaccines at the airport.
Pic: Airport cor. T. K. G. Kapila