ECONOMYNEXT – With a majority of the population vaccinated and the administration of a booster dose already under way, the government of Sri Lanka has done everything it can to contain the COVID-19 epidemic, and the rest is up to the public, health minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.
“We have done everything we can do as a government. So far over 75 percent of the total population have received both doses of a vaccine. Only three or four countries in the world have reached that level,” Rambukawella told reporters on Friday (19).
Over 75 percent of Sri Lankans over 16 years of age and 61.8 percent of the total population have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. According to a CNN tracker, 56 countries have surpassed Sri Lanka on the fully vaccinated front.
“The booster shot is being administered to those over 60,” said Rambukwella. Over 160,000 Sri Lankans over 60 have received the Pfizer-BioNTech jab as a third or booster dose as of Friday.
“The rest is up to the public. It’s about their behaviour. We can make statements and appeal to the public. We hope the people conduct themselves accordingly,” said the minister.
“We have to get used to the new normal. France, Germany, Russia were recently locked down. This is the global trend now. There has to be some sacrifices from the side of the people too at a time like this,” he added.
Related: New COVID-19 clusters detected in Sri Lanka; authorities blame public gatherings
(Colombo/Nov19/2021)
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