Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella today said that attention is being paid to start vaccinating children between the ages of 12-18 as soon as possible.
The Minister said that due to the COVID pandemic, schools had to be closed from time to time for about a year and a half and therefore the vaccination of children should be started to start schools as soon as possible.
He was addressing a meeting held online at the Ministry of Health today (09).
The Minister said that several international organizations, including the World Health Organization, have pointed out several criteria for the vaccination of children.
With the commencement of vaccination for children, children from grade 7 to grade 13 can be vaccinated, the Minister said. It is hoped that the schools will be able to reopen once the vaccination of school children is completed as the non-academic staff including teachers have been fully vaccinated.
Under this, it will be possible to vaccinate around two million children, the Health Minister said. He further said that the first dose of the vaccine has been given to 34 percent and the second 12 percent in the age group of 20-29 years.
