The US-made Moderna vaccine, which was recently brought to Sri Lanka, will be distributed to people who are engaged in tourism in the Sigiriya area.
Minister of Sports Namal Rajapaksa and Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga inspected the vaccination drive today (18) for nearly 2,000 tourism people in the Sigiriya area.
The Moderna vaccine was one of the first vaccines designed to prevent corona infection, serious illness and as well as death.
Preliminary research has shown that the vaccine has high efficiency of 94%.
Preliminary research in foreign countries has shown that it is also effective for some new strains of the Covid virus.
Moderna is an injection company in the United States and is a vaccine manufactured in a factory in Spain called Moderna Inc. They were supplied to Sri Lanka on a COVAX program basis by the World Health Organization.
Words of Minister of Sports, Namal Rajapaksha who joined to the Vaccination program in Sigiriya.
“Today, vaccination has begun in every district in Sri Lanka. Special attention has been paid to the vaccination program for a large number of young people in the tourism sector who bring foreign exchange to Sri Lanka and other sectors that generate employment opportunities.
At present almost all the industrial estates, industrial states and mechanical states are being covered.
The vaccination for young people and adults engaged in tourism in the Dambulla area commenced today.
In addition to working in tourist hotels, other companies involved in the tourism industry, including other safari drivers, tour guides, suppliers and music providers, are being vaccinated in a way that covers all sectors.
We also hope to launch a special vaccination program in the Eastern Province by next week.”
Words of Prasanna Ranatunga – Minister of Tourism.
“For the safety of the people of our country, we have temporarily suspended the arrival of tourists. Now we have started bringing in tourists again. Tourists need to build confidence that our country is a country that has eradicated the Kovid epidemic. In order to instill that confidence, the people of the entire country, including the tourism industry, should be vaccinated.
The President hopes to vaccinate 60% of all people in this country who need to be vaccinated within two months. We plan to vaccinate all those who need to be vaccinated by the end of this year. Then we will be able to open the country to tourists in the same way that Singapore has opened today. We will work to restore the tourism industry’s revenue to all small businesses.”
