Encourage people to obtain the vaccine, President tells officials

by Zulfick Farzan 10-09-2021 | 4:59 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed authorities to encourage those who have not obtained the vaccine against COVID-19, to do so.

Speaking at the COVID-19 Prevention Committee Meeting on Friday (10), the President has stressed the need to further implement the mobile vaccination drive to vaccinate those over the age of 60 and for those with comorbidities.

Health officials had informed the President that a majority of those who died of COVID-19 are those above the age of 60.

The meeting also discussed the effect the pandemic had on children as schools were closed in 2020 & 2021 affecting almost 700,000 students, while a similar number was deprived of early childhood education.

The President's Media Division said a technical committee comprising of health and education officials was vested with the task of making recommendations to re-open the over 3,000 schools with less than 100 students each, spread across the island.

Further, it was decided to open all economic centers during the period of the quarantine curfew to avoid the inconveniences caused to local farmers.