A student walks after getting a vaccine COVID-19 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Oct. 15, 2021. Sri Lankan health authorities on Friday began administering the COVID-19 vaccines on school students between the ages of 18 and 19 with the Pfizer doses amidst a large-scale vaccination program ongoing in the country since January. (Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)
COLOMBO, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan health authorities on Friday began administering the COVID-19 vaccines on school students between the ages of 18 and 19 with the Pfizer doses amidst a large-scale vaccination program ongoing in the country since January.
Health officials said the vaccines were administered to the students in three educational zones in capital Colombo and vaccination centers received a satisfactory response as youngsters walked in with their identification cards.
The vaccination program will continue over the weekend and health officials encouraged all students in the targeted age group to take the jabs.
Sri Lanka's Health Ministry said the vaccines on the 18 and 19 year age groups began to be administered as the Education Ministry prepared to re-open schools after months of closure due to the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The country's Education Ministry said last week that students of grades 1 to 5 in schools with a student population of 200 or fewer may soon be able to go back to school, as early as the end of October. Enditem
