Sri Lanka is currently witnessing a sharp increase in the number of patients with COVID-19, which is now ten times higher than what it was in May and June, Health Services Deputy Director General Dr. Hemantha Herath said.
As of yesterday (17), 668,336 people had tested positive for the coronavirus in the country with 195 new cases reported on Tuesday (16).
The Government Information Department confirmed six more deaths due to COVID-19 on Tuesday and all six deaths are of elders over 60 and above.
According to the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in February 2020, Sri Lanka has reported 16,630 deaths to date.
Dr. Herath also stated that although 10 to 20 Covid-infected people were reported in May and June, by the month of August, the number of infected people had increased to 100 to 200. He also said that as a result of getting the anti-covid vaccine properly and following the anti-covid health advice properly, the number of infected people had decreased in the past.
He said that as a result of 17 million of the Sri Lankan population receiving the first anti-Covid vaccine and 14.5 million of the second vaccine, the number of infected people has decreased and their immunity has decreased due to the fact that it has been almost a year since the vaccination doses.
Dr Herath said people can be infected with the Covid virus once again with the decrease of immunity.
He said that people should resort to getting their booster shots to protect themselves from the virus and they can get shots from the Medical Officers of Health officers or hospitals.
He further added that when an epidemic comes, the number of patients increases and decreases from time to time and it is mandatory to follow health habits properly to protect against the epidemic. Any dose of anti-Covid vaccine can be obtained from the vaccination programme at the Vihara mahadevi Park, the Army Media Division confirmed.
Accordingly, the first and second doses of anti-covid vaccine, the first and second doses of anti-covid booster vaccine can be obtained there and the programme is operational from 8 am to 4.30 pm on the rest of the six days of the week except Sundays.
It is also said that anyone who comes to this location to receive vaccine doses will be given, and that Pfizer vaccine doses will be available here.
The Epidemiology Unit said that about 8.2 million of the country’s population have received anti-Covid booster doses.
Chief Epidemiologist Dr.Samitha Ginige said that the immunity of people who have taken the first and second doses of anti-Covid vaccines is now weak, so they should go for booster shots.
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