By Chanka Jayasinghe The Pfizer-BionTech COVID-19 vaccine / Image credit: Flickr
By Chanka Jayasinghe
ECONOMYNEXT – Another batch of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Sri Lanka today.
Secretary to the State Ministry of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Dr Saman Ratnayake said the consignment contained 29,000 doses of the US-manufactured vaccine, though other media reports said it was 26,000.
The vials arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at 2.40am Monday (12).
With the previous batch of 26,000, Sri Lanka has received 56,000 doses in total assuming Dr Ratnayake’s figure is correct.
The vials have been transported to the National Blood Centre in Narahenpita, Colombo, to be stored in coolers. Pfizer needs to be stored in minus 70 degrees Celsius. Officials had earlier said Sri Lanka did not have adequate cold storage facilities to store and transport Pfizer around the island.