The Government has temporarily suspended the coronavirus vaccination programme from Wednesday night (31), Newsfirst reported.

State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Sudarshani Fernandopulle said the vaccination programme was temporarily suspended due to a delay in receiving more Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines.

Despite the Serum Institute of India having recently suspended exports of the vaccine, State Minister of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation Professor Channa Jayasumana had assured last week that Sri Lanka will receive a stock of the vaccines ordered from the Indian Institute on time.

The Serum Institute of India however, is yet to provide a timeline for the delivery of the pre-ordered vaccine doses.

The Government has therefore temporarily suspended the vaccination programme as a result of this.

The decision has been taken to hold onto the existing stock of vaccines for the second jab, in the event the expected stock does not arrive on time.

The Health Ministry was to commence the vaccination of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine from 19th April, 2021.

Sri Lanka has so far vaccinated over 900,000 people since the commencement of the vaccination programme from 29th January, 2021.