Third consignment of Pfizer vaccine arrives in SL

July 19, 2021 at 8:42 AM

Sri Lanka received its third consignment of the Pfizer BioNTech Covid vaccine this morning. 

State Minister Professor Channa Jayasumana said the consignment consisting of 70,200 doses of the vaccine arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.

He said with the arrival of the latest stock, Sri Lanka has received a total of 128,700 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine to date.

In May, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) approved the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine in Sri Lanka. 

Thereafter Sri Lanka received its first batch of vaccines consisting of 26,000 doses on 5th July and the second batch with another 26,000 doses on 12th July. 

The vaccines which were initially administered as the second dose for those who had received the AstraZeneca vaccine as the first jab was later suspended by the Government.

It was later announced that the Pfizer vaccine will be provided to students travelling overseas for education, the fishing community in Mannar, and residents of Vavuniya. (NewsWire)