by Shamindra Ferdinando

Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control State Minister Dr Sudarshini Fernandopulle yesterday said that those who had received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine hadn’t so far reported major side effects.

The vaccination programme was continuing quite successfully, Dr. Fernandopulle said, as the total number of persons vaccinated by 2 pm, on Monday reached 60,000.

The State Minister said so in response to The Island query whether hospitals and other locations where frontline health workers received vaccine reported post-vaccination problems.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last Thursday (28) received the first 500,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine from India, which has donated the shots to eight countries in the region. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.

The government earlier announced approximately 150,000 health workers and 115,000 selected military and police personnel would be immunized at six hospitals in Colombo and its suburbs.

Asked whether India had sent medical personnel along with the consignment of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in case of emergency, Dr. Fernandopulle, who had been also at the BIA with President Rajapaksa to receive the Indian consignment, emphasized as expected from any vaccine, fever, body aches and pain at the injections sites had been reported. “Our doctors and other medical personnel are capable of handling emergency and ready to face any eventuality,” Dr. Fernandopulle said, adding that there was no requirement to bring in doctors from India.

Responding to another query, the State Minister pointed out Sri Lanka had the experience in managing very efficient childhood vaccination programme. Dr. Fernandopulle gave the required leadership in the absence of health minister Pavitra Wanniarachchi receiving treatment for Covid-19.

According to the State Minister, those who had received the first dose could take the second in four weeks. Sri Lanka launched its vaccination programme on January 29. Asked whether the vaccination programme covered the entire country, lawmaker Fernandopulle said it was being implemented in MOH areas in all provinces. “Hospital workers have to get the second dose from the same place and very often it is the place of work,” Dr. Fernandopulle said.

Dr. Fernandopulle received the new appointment several weeks ago as the government battled uphill battle to bring the epidemic under control.

The State Minister urged the public to strictly follow health guidelines though the vaccination programme was underway. Protection provided to medical staff engaged in Covid-19 control efforts would certainly enhance confidence among the public, Dr. Fernandopulle said.

At one point the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) warned of government hospitals as well as military-run facilities that accommodated the affected persons being overwhelmed.

Dr. Fernandopulle said that the situation would continue to improve as the government brought the first round of vaccination programme to a successful conclusion.