COLOMBO (News 1st): The COVID-19 vaccination drive in Sri Lanka begins on Friday (Jan. 29), with frontline healthcare workers receiving the jab first, at six main hospitals in and around Colombo, health officials said.

The inoculation will be carried out 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 drive will begin at 9:00 am today (29).

“Whilst the vaccination drive begins in Colombo today, doses of the vaccine are being transported to other parts of the country as well,” Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, the State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control told News 1st.

The vaccination of frontline healthcare workers, personnel of the Tri-Forces and Police will take around one week.

According to the State Minister, all district hospitals and MOH offices where COVID-19 vaccination will take place, were already instructed on the procedure; thereby, vaccination will begin outside the Western province as soon as the hospitals and MOH offices receive the jabs.

“Senior citizens in the country will be subjected to inoculation after a long period of time, and therefore the process of vaccination will be monitored throughout by the Ministry of Health, State Minister, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle told News 1st.

She assured the people that health authorities have taken all the necessary precautions with regard to the vaccination drive.

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