Sri Lanka on Wednesday (March 31) received a consignment of 600,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by China. According to Ada Derana correspondent, a special flight chartered by the national carrier SriLankan Airlines (UL869) carrying the vaccines touched down at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake at around 11.28 am. State Ministers Prof. Channa Jayasumana and Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong and several other officials were present at the airport premises to receive the vaccine stock. Under the first phase of Sri Lanka’s inoculation drive using China-made Sinopharm vaccine, Chinese nationals residing in the island nation are expected to be given priority. Administration of the Sinopharm jabs to these Chinese nationals will thereby commence next week at four locations; Colombo, Kandy, Puttalam and Hambantota, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera said.

Source: The Nation March 31, 2021 06:45 UTC