COLOMBO (NewsRadio); Sri Lanka has decided to use the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine as booster shots after running out of Pfizer vaccine doses.
Health authorities have urged those who have not obtained a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine thus far to receive the Sinopharm vaccines as coronavirus infections are likely to rise in the country this year.
Speaking to media, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Samitha Ginige said they are in possession of 1.8 million Sinopharm vaccine doses.
He noted that six million out of those above the age of 18 in Sri Lanka have not received their booster dose thus far.
Dr. Samitha Ginige noted that there is no imminent threat to Sri Lanka despite a slight increase in COVID-19 infections globally.
He said authorities cannot prevent new COVID-19 variants from entering the country but can only delay it.
Dr. Ginige said therefore the public must obtained the vaccines recommended by health authorities and adhere to the health advice.
As per the latest report issued by the Epidemiology Unit, 17.14 million people have obtained the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine while 14.72 million have obtained the second dose.
The Epidemiology Unit said only 8.2 million people have obtained the third dose or the booster shot.
202,571 people have also obtained the second booster shot.
Sri Lanka used the Pfizer vaccine as booster shots but now will use the Sinopharm vaccine to inoculate the people as the number of COVID-19 cases globally has increased in the past few days.
