Request the youth in all districts to step up to assist in the COVID-19 vaccination drive

Since January this year, Sri Lanka’s health officials together with the army and other authorities have been successfully carrying out a mass scale vaccination program throughout the country to ensure the public’s safety against the COVID-19 virus.

To date, nearly 5 million people have received their first doses while second doses are also being administered in all districts according to the corresponding dates.

In Colombo, which is one of the worst affected by the pandemic, the Colombo Municipal Council in collaboration with the Health Ministry, Army and the Public Health Inspectors have been successful to inoculate 70 percent of the city residents who are above the age of 30.

North and East is aimed to be fully vaccinated by the end of this month and another vaccine drive is expected to begin next week prioritizing Kataragama sacred city and Kandy temple. As the Perehera season is about to begin next month, it is our utmost priority to provide safety for local pilgrims. Furthermore, through these programs the government is also aiming to cover pre-school teachers, three wheel and taxi drivers etc. to ensure we protect the most vulnerable population of the country.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has set out a comprehensive vaccination plan, has urged authorities to finish vaccinating all those above the age of 30 in the Western Province by July 31, while the government has set a target to finish vaccinating those above 30 islandwide by early September.

While procuring the vaccines initially was an issue, this matter has now been resolved. This month alone, Sri Lanka will receive its largest ever vaccine donation from China of 1.6 million doses of Sinopahrm while a further 2 million will arrive under a commercial agreement between Sinopharm and the State Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Then 1.45 million doses of AstraZeneca are expected to arrive from Japan which will ensure that all those who received the first doses of AZ will receive their second doses. Further, we received 52,000 doses of Pfizer which is being administered to the students who will travel overseas for their higher education as well as to the fishermen in the north who may possibly come in contact with Indian fishermen mid seas. Then we have the Sputnik V which is being administered and the Moderna which will soon be rolled out after it arrived from the United States today morning.

With the vaccination program now on in full swing and with over 400,000 doses being administered per day, it is my humble request to the youth of all districts to come forward, dedicate a little of their time to assist the army and health officials to speed up the vaccination program.

They can do this by assisting the elderly to visit the vaccination centers, or if there is anyone who cannot travel to a center, the youth can provide their details to the doctors on ground or the MoH officers who will then make arrangements for a team to be sent to their homes.

The priority will always be to vaccinate the elderly and we understand that there may be many who are unable to visit the centers and need assistance.

But this may not come to the attention of the health officials who are already dedicated to vaccinating thousands of others per day. We need the assistance of the youth and it is my humble request for them to step up, come forward and help us. We need you now as volunteers for us to be able to succeed as a nation to fight the pandemic.

Sri Lanka needs to ensure that all our citizens are vaccinated by atleast September this year so that we as a country can open up without further delay and ensure that our lives return to normalcy and we are ready for business once again. We can do it if we are all in it together.

Stay safe and take care.