President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed the officials to order a batch of vaccine for a third dose, taking the ongoing global situation into account and based on the recommendations by the medical experts.
A number of leading countries has ordered vaccines for the third dose. The President highlighted the importance of paying attention to this development and preparing Sri Lanka as well for a third dose.
A huge demand for vaccines is evident across the globe. President Rajapaksa said that he discussed with the leaders of a number of nations and requested their assistance to acquire stocks of vaccines for Sri Lanka amid this competitiveness.
The President emphasised the need to provide vaccines obtained with much difficulty in a transparent and organised manner.
The President stressed out the need to vaccinate all those over 60 years of age and the close associates of the Covid-19 infected since a large number of vaccines have been received. President Rajapaksa instructed the officials to take steps for the simultaneous vaccination of the patients who suffer from non-communicable diseases as well.
The President said that vaccination is the answer for both containing the Covid-19 pandemic and minimising the infected reaching fatal stages of the virus. He said this during a discussion held with the Special Committee on Covid-19 Prevention at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday.
The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) has developed a special software to ensure a streamlined vaccination drive and to collect data on all those who have been vaccinated. This will make it easier to set a date and time for the vaccination at the Grama Niladhari and Medical Officer of Health (MOH) Office level.