Labour Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday urged the Government to take into account the working class as well while giving the COVID-19 vaccine to priority groups in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) criteria.
He added that a priority list should be formulated taking WHO standards into consideration and in providing the COVID-19 vaccine to people in Sri Lanka. "It is necessary to take into account the places of work and factories which contribute immensely to the country’s economic growth when deciding on the priority lists following the WHO recommendations," the Minister added.
Minister de Silva expressed these views when he met WHO Resident Representative in Sri Lanka Dr. Razia Pendse to discuss the plan of administering the vaccine to the people, at the Ministry Premises yesterday.
Dr. Pendse extended her fullest support to the programme of vaccinating the people through a well established health network during the discussion. She stressed it is necessary to protect people at the same time sustaining the country's production process without any interruptions. Minister de Silva said Special Health Committees have been setup in all the workplaces including factories to supervise the steps to be taken to control the spread of COVID-19 at working places and reviewing relief measures provided to COVID-19 positive people.
(Daily News)