Sri Lanka to roll out Covid vaccinations for children below 12 years?

Sri Lanka to roll out Covid vaccinations for children below 12 years?

February 22, 2022   07:00 pm

The recommendations on rolling out Covid-19 vaccinations for children below the age of 12 years are expected to be received in the coming few days, says the State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals.

Speaking to the media following an event in Colombo, Prof. Channa Jayasumana said the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians was consulted on the matter.

Meanwhile, approximately 50,000 - 60,000 people in total have received the booster dose of Covid-19 within the past week, but this is not enough when taking into account the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, the lawmaker added.

Prof. Jayasumana, who also addressed the ongoing shortage of pharmaceuticals in the market, said the demand for paracetamol in the country has gone up by 275% within the past three weeks. He attributed this increase in demand to the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, another viral disease and dengue fever.

As paracetamol is used as the main fever-reducing agent in these three conditions, the demand for the drug has seen an increase, the state minister explained. On the other hand, the companies are reluctant to import paracetamol as the prices of raw materials used to manufacture the drug have risen in the global market, he added.

The State Pharmaceuticals Corporation has taken measures to produce paracetamol at maximum capacity, in order to alleviate this situation, Prof. Jayasumana assured.

Disclaimer: All the comments will be moderated by the AD editorial. Abstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or slanderous. Please avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment and avoid typing all capitalized comments. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by flagging them(mouse over a comment and click the flag icon on the right side). Do use these forums to voice your opinions and create healthy discourse.

Most Viewed Video Stories

CCTV: Deleted footage recovered in Hatton bus accident

CCTV: Deleted footage recovered in Hatton bus accident

LKI and ICRC discussion on artificial intelligence and contemporary challenges (English)

Sri Lanka establishes Public Debt Management Office (English)

Iceland gets new government under Social Democrat Frostadottir (English)

Sri Lanka Customs reveals govt. revenue through tax on imported rice (English)

LIVE🔴 Ada Derana Prime Time News Bulletin 6.55 pm

LIVE🔴 Ada Derana Lunch Time News Bulletin 12.00 pm

Sri Lanka Tourism Awards 2024 held in Colombo (English)