More Pfizer vaccines arrive: New decision taken on administration of vaccine

August 30, 2021 at 11:08 AM

The Sri Lanka Army has been authorised to administer the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Sri Lanka.

According to Neth news, the vaccine will be administered under the current COVID-19 vaccination centres operated by the Army. 

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said the Pfizer vaccine will be provided by the Army only to eligible people.  

He said the measure has been taken after it was revealed that several people who are not qualified to obtain the Pfizer vaccine had received the vaccine. 

General Shavendra Silva said certain people had also received both the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines defying the vaccination procedure.

He said reports have been received on individuals receiving the vaccines from outside their residential areas, including a vaccination centre in the Puttalam District.

At present, the Pfizer vaccine has been approved only for those who are travelling overseas for education or employment. 

Meanwhile, a stock of 124,020 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Sri Lanka today.

State Minister Professor Channa Jayasumana said the vaccine doses have arrived under a purchase order placed by Sri Lanka’s State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC).

The latest consignment had arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake this morning.

On Saturday (28), the Government announced that the United States of America (USA) has donated more than 100,000 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine to Sri Lanka. 

The Government said the vaccines have been donated via the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVAX Facility.

Professor Jayasumana further said that another 15,000 doses of the Sputnik V Covid vaccine from Russia will arrive also tomorrow (31).

Sri Lanka last received a stock of 15,000 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine in August. (NewsWire)