By Maheesha Mudugamuwa
A special meeting chaired by State Minister of Covid-19 Prevention Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle will be held tomorrow (14) with virologists and other specialists to discuss the latest developments of the vaccines that are yet to receive approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The Sunday Morning learnt that the country at present does not have enough infrastructure facilities to store the new vaccines such as the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine, which is found to be 90% effective, as it needs to be refrigerated at a -70 to -80 degrees temperature.
However, the Government is eyeing the vaccine developed by the University of Cambridge, as it does not need low temperatures as compared to the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Dr. Fernandopulle stressed that none of the vaccines have received any health approvals, even though the UK has commenced trials on its elderly population.
“It’s too early to decide on the efficacy of the vaccine. We are preparing for the future and we have a system already in place for any sort of vaccination programme,” the State Minister said.
According to Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Sri Lanka would receive 4.2 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine under WHO’s COVAX programme.
A preliminary analysis showed that the first Covid-19 vaccine can prevent more than 90% of people from contracting the virus. Although hundreds of vaccines were produced to combat the virus, only a dozen of them are in the final stages of testing.
Although a vaccine produced by Oxford University was widely discussed in the past, the new vaccine produced by US and German developers – Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine – is the first to show any results. Their vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised so far.
Sri Lanka has already entered the COVAX programme and GAVI vaccine alliance which are working for a vaccine for Covid-19 with the technical help of the WHO.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the State Ministry of Covid-19 Prevention Dr. Amal Harsha Perera stressed that the country is focusing on the free quota to be given by the WHO as an initial step. He assured that measures would be taken to vaccinate the entire country once the WHO approves the still developing Covid-19 vaccine.
Sri Lanka has an excellent system for immunisation vaccination and since the system is already in place, once the vaccine comes, the immunisation programme could be developed covering the entire country, he added.
However, the Government is eyeing the vaccine developed by the University of Cambridge, as it does not need low temperatures as compared to the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Dr. Fernandopulle stressed that none of the vaccines have received any health approvals, even though the UK has commenced trials on its elderly population.
“It’s too early to decide on the efficacy of the vaccine. We are preparing for the future and we have a system already in place for any sort of vaccination programme,” the State Minister said.
According to Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Sri Lanka would receive 4.2 million doses of a Covid-19 vaccine under WHO’s COVAX programme.
A preliminary analysis showed that the first Covid-19 vaccine can prevent more than 90% of people from contracting the virus. Although hundreds of vaccines were produced to combat the virus, only a dozen of them are in the final stages of testing.
Although a vaccine produced by Oxford University was widely discussed in the past, the new vaccine produced by US and German developers – Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine – is the first to show any results. Their vaccine has been tested on 43,500 people in six countries and no safety concerns have been raised so far.
Sri Lanka has already entered the COVAX programme and GAVI vaccine alliance which are working for a vaccine for Covid-19 with the technical help of the WHO.
Meanwhile, Secretary to the State Ministry of Covid-19 Prevention Dr. Amal Harsha Perera stressed that the country is focusing on the free quota to be given by the WHO as an initial step. He assured that measures would be taken to vaccinate the entire country once the WHO approves the still developing Covid-19 vaccine.
Sri Lanka has an excellent system for immunisation vaccination and since the system is already in place, once the vaccine comes, the immunisation programme could be developed covering the entire country, he added.