DGHS guidelines on MODERNA vaccine to be issued soon

COLOMBO (News 1st): Sri Lanka's National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) on Monday (Jun. 28) granted approval for the emergency use of the MODERNA vaccine manufactured in the United States of America. "The National Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (NACCD) at the Ministry of Health convened yesterday (Jun. 28), and submitted its recommendations to the government. Accordingly, it has been recommended that there is NO issue in administering either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine as the second dose for those who had already received the first dose of the COVISHIELD vaccine," Dr. Hemantha Herath, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services told a press briefing on Tuesday (Jun. 29). Based on the recommendation of the National Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases, the Director-General of Health Services will issue a clear set of guidelines on the matter, to the local health institutions in the coming days, Dr. Hemantha Herath noted. "We hope to release the respective guidelines bearing the signature of the Director-General of Health Services through the Epidemiology Unit at the Ministry of Health. It will be implemented following the issuance of the respective circulars," Dr. Hemantha Herath, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services further elaborated. So far, five COVID-19 vaccines have received approval for emergency use in Sri Lanka; the vaccines are, Oxford AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, and Sinovac vaccines manufactured in China, Russia's Sputnik-V jab, and USA's Moderna vaccine.