COVID-19 INCOLUATION BEGINS IN SRI LANKA

COLOMBO (News 1st): The COVID-19 Vaccination drive in Sri Lanka officially began on Friday morning (Jan. 29) with three military personnel in the frontline of combatting the pandemic, receiving the jabs of India's AstraZeneca COVISHIELD vaccine, health officials said. According to the Ministry of Health, the inoculation of frontline healthcare workers, personnel of Tri-Forces and Police will be carried out first, starting today (29) at the following hospitals: - Colombo National Hospital - Colombo-North Teaching Hospital in Ragama - Colombo-South Teaching Hospital - Homagama Base Hospital - Colombo-East Base Hospital in Mulleriyawa - Infectious Disease Hospital in Angoda. The vaccination of frontline healthcare workers, personnel of the Tri-Forces and Police will take around one week, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, the State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control told News 1st on Friday (Jan. 29). A consignment of 500,000 doses of India's AstraZeneca COVISHIELD vaccine arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday (Jan. 28). The donation of COVID-19 vaccines from the Indian government was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Gopal Bagley at the Katunayake Airport.