Over 500,000 persons vaccinated

A total of 509,275 persons have received their first dose of the COVISHIELD Vaccine ever since Sri Lanka's vaccination drive began on 29 January.

According to the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, a total of 42,925 persons were vaccinated yesterday (01), according to the release. 

The inoculation drive began a day after India's donation of 500,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVISHIELD Vaccine arrived in Sri Lanka on 28 January.

The jabs were initially administered to frontline health workers and members of the Armed Forces and were subsequently extended to Parliamentarians, diplomats, and the general public.

A consignment of 500,000 more doses of the COVISHIELD Vaccine from India arrived in the island on 25 February, as part of an order signed between the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) and the Serum Institute of India (SII) for a total of 10 million doses.