The First batch of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine manufactured by China arrived in Sri Lanka today.
The consignment of 600,000 vaccine doses arrived in a special flight at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.
The stock of vaccines was received by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka at the airport.
According to the Government, the vaccines will be administered to Chinese nationals residing in Sri Lanka.
Cabinet co-spokesman Minister Ramesh Pathirana told reporters yesterday Sri Lanka has not received clearance from the World Health Organization (WHO) to administer the vaccine to the local population yet.
He said this was due to a delay in the translation from Chinese to English of the phase four clinical test results of the vaccine. (NewsWire)