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Don’t wait for law to make vaccine mandatory: Hemantha Herath

10 Jan 2022

  • Health Ministry urges all eligible parties to obtain third dose
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Health Ministry has pointed out that it is very important that those who are eligible to obtain the Covid-19 vaccine do so, for the health safety of themselves and of others, instead of waiting for legal provisions to make the vaccination against Covid-19 mandatory. Speaking to The Morning yesterday (10), the Health Ministry’s Communications Director, Public Health Services Deputy Director General (DDG), and Disaster Preparedness and Response Division Head Dr. Hemantha Herath said: “It is important for all those who are eligible to be vaccinated against Covid-19. The people should not wait until the imposition of legal provisions to make the vaccination mandatory.” Claiming that many critical situations are not handled by laws or certain other regulations in some parts of the world, he said that such situations could however be addressed through the development of attitudes. “In some countries, even security has been ensured through attitudinal development and not by legal provisions which is why even the Heads of State in some countries are able to walk down the streets without any additional security like an ordinary person. People’s attitudes should see such a development in relation to these issues too,” explained Dr. Herath. The Health Ministry told The Morning on 9 January that there is a plan to make it mandatory for the people to obtain the first, second, and third (booster) doses of Covid-19 vaccines, although no time frame regarding its implementation can be specified. Meanwhile, the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) stated that Sri Lanka has completed the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines which began in January last year, as it has received the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses and the total number of booster third doses required by 9 January.


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