Colombo:
All the 225 parliamentarians in Sri Lanka will be vaccinated against the deadly COVID-19 from Tuesday, a senior lawmaker said on Monday.
Sergeant at Arms of Parliament Narendra Fernando told reporters that parliamentarians have been informed to turn up at the military hospital here to receive the vaccine.
”They have been informed to receive the vaccine on February 16, 17 and 18,” he said.
The vaccination has also been extended to the general public from Monday, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said.
”It will be first given to most vulnerable people in the Western Province,” he said.
The decision comes as former speaker of Parliament W J M Lokubandara became the most high profile COVID-19 victim.
The 80-year-old former speaker who held office from 2004 to 2010 passed away while undergoing treatment at an intensive care unit.
Sri Lanka received 500,000 free doses from India and the government said a further 3 million doses were to be imported from New Delhi.
They were given as a priority to frontline health workers, military personnel and police.
As of Monday, the total number of coronavirus cases in the country has reached 75,965 with 397 deaths.
A total of 69,411 people have recovered from the deadly virus, while 6,157 are still under treatment.
