Facing delay in securing vaccines, Lanka temporarily suspends COVID-19 jabs
Sri Lanka has temporarily halted its COVID-19 vaccination program as there was a delay in securing more AstraZeneca vaccines from the Serum Institute of India (SII), a top health minister has said. Sri Lanka launched its inoculation program in late January when India gifted 500,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca. Till Thursday 913,219 people out of the island nation's 21 million population had been vaccinated.
COVID-19 prevention minister informed about the halt
The vaccination program was halted on Wednesday night due to the unavailability of more Oxford-AstraZeneca doses for the second jab of those already vaccinated, Primary Health Care, and COVID-19 prevention minister Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror newspaper on Friday. She said the COVID-19 vaccination program was temporarily suspended due to a delay in securing more AstraZeneca vaccines.
The SII recently suspended exports of the AstraZeneca vaccine
The Serum Institute of India recently suspended exports of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The WHO has recommended that the second jab must be made available within 12 weeks of the first. The second dose was to be administered from April 19, the report said. To recall, after the free gift, Sri Lanka placed an order for more doses of the Indian vaccine.
SII manufacturing Covishield in collaboration with University of Oxford, AstraZeneca
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, Covishield, has been developed in collaboration with SII. The Pune-based vaccine major has entered into a collaboration with the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca to manufacture the vaccine. Since the SII curtailed exports in recent weeks, Fernandopulle said that Sri Lanka was not able to gain any assurances on the arrival of the next consignment from India in time.
Lanka to order 700,000 doses of Russian Sputnik V vaccine
Meanwhile, China donated 600,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines to Sri Lanka this week. However, neither the local health regulators nor the WHO have approved its emergency use. Sri Lankan officials said the Chinese vaccine will be administered to the Chinese workers in the country. Sri Lanka will also reportedly order 700,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.
