COLOMBO:  Sri Lanka's National Medicines Regulatory Authority has approved the Chinese Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in the island nation. In view of that, all Covid-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) can now be used in Sri Lanka, State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana said on Friday.

So far, Sri Lanka has administered more than 4 million first doses of the coronavirus vaccines across the country, with the majority having received the Sinopharm vaccines. As per Health Promotion Bureau (HPB) statement, 36 percent of the population above the age of 30 years in Sri Lanka have been administered at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine. The HPB Director Ranjith Batuwanthudawa said on Thursday.

In capital Colombo, one of the worst affected by the virus, 70 percent of the target population have received the first dose of the vaccine, while 25 percent have received both doses, Batuwanthudawa said.

Sri Lanka is presently under the third wave of the pandemic with authorities warning of a further spread of the Delta variant. The country has to date recorded 282,060 confirmed coronavirus cases, while 3,702 deaths have been reported.

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