President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed authorities to make arrangements to administer the first dose of a vaccine against COVID-19 at centres that are currently administering the second dose.
The President’s Media Division said the matter was conveyed during a meeting of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 which convened at the Presidential Secretariat today. Discussions were held in detailed regarding the vaccination programme of the country.
The PMD said vaccine doses have been procured to fully vaccinate all Sri Lankans above 18 years of age by September.
The President has also instructed health authorities not to inconvenience coronavirus infected individuals.
The number of people visiting hospitals in major town had increased exponentially in the past few days. Accordingly, long ques and congestion have been reported in recent days.
President Rajapaksa has instructed authorities to first admit COVID-19 patients who exhibit symptoms to an intermediary treatment facility, and after monitoring the condition to direct the patient to a hospital, if necessary.
The President has instructed Ministers, State Ministers and to health authorities to directly get involved and devise a plan to minimise the congestion at main hospitals.
The PMD said according to intelligence reports around 120 protests have been staged in the past month which have contributed to the recent rapid spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.
