Clarifying uncertainties in the society, Paediatrician Dr. Shaman Rajindrajith said vaccination of children does not become a prerequisite for reopening schools.
Addressing a news briefing at the Health Promotion Bureau, Dr. Rajindrajith who is also the President of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians and a member of the Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases (ACCD) said as per the scientific research and data available right now, reopening schools does not require vaccinating all school children.
“Majority of foreign countries are following this method and we are also hoping to follow the same way,” he said.
When asked whether school children are exposed to the danger of contracting the virus if schools are reopened, Dr. Rajindrajith said the respective parties which are contacting children have to be fully vaccinated before reopening the schools.
“Accordingly, we had requested the Health Ministry to vaccinate all the teachers, academic staffers, drivers of the vehicles carrying school children, which has happened almost hundred percent,” he underlined.
“Here, the issue is not who is in danger but making sure all precautionary measures are fulfilled to prevent the virus from transmitting to others,” he stressed.
Moreover, Dr. Rajindrajith said there is no final decision on administering the COVID-19 vaccine for the children in the age group from 12 to 15 and so is the age group from 3 to 11.
“We are still examining and carrying out research on the possibilities of giving the vaccine for the said age groups,” he added. (Daily Mirror)