A powerful government minister told Lankasara that it was the Covid Task Force took the decision to start the Covid vaccination program including the over 30 years of age persons despite the World Health Organization (WHO) made it clear that the vaccination it should be given priority to people over 60 years of age. The committee was attended by all stakeholders, including the President. He also stated that Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who represented the Covid Committee, also made this clear in a recent televised discussion.
However, the representatives of the Ministry of Health who participated in this committee were of the view that in accordance with international guidelines, including the World Health Organization, it is proposed to vaccinate people over 60 years of age first and to provide vaccinations at the village level expeditiously with the participation of other government agencies in the system currently established in the Sri Lankan health system. However, the minister acknowledged that some pundits had misled the president and suggested a separate strategy, which would have prevented people over the age of 60 from being vaccinated before the outbreak of the epidemic. He also stated that it was possible.
