News

Government says AstraZeneca second jab can be taken in six months

30 May, 2021

By Easwaran Rutnam

The Government says the second jab of the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine can be taken even six months after the first dose.

This is based on a fact sheet submitted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“The?WHO fact sheet says can get it even at six months. Better having at least one rather than not having a single dose,” State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Dr. (Mrs.) Sudarshani Fernandopulle said.

Sri Lanka initially received 500,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine free of charge from India and the Government purchased another 500,000 vaccines.

The Government was in possession of around 350,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to use as the second dose.

Part of the stock in hand was utilized to provide the second jab to frontline healthcare workers, and the Military and the Police.

However, the Government is desperately looking for another 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to administer to those who got the fist jab. (Colombo Gazette)

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