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All vaccines reduce death and hospitalisation – SLMA
The Sri Lanka Medical Association on Thursday (09) said that all vaccines reduced death and hospitalisation, and some fully-vaccinated people could get reinfected they will mostly develop mild symptoms such as fever, cough, etc.
The SLMC said that Sri Lanka had relied on vaccination and movement restriction to control the Covid-19 epidemic and that all vaccines approved so far by the NMRA had saved many lives and prevented severe disease. Most people who have died from COVID are unvaccinated individuals. It is therefore essential that all unvaccinated people, over the age of 18 years be immunised, with any of the available vaccines at earliest possible, SLMA President, Dr. Padma Gunaratne said.
“Subject to above recommendation, the SLMA has formulated recommendations further based on scientific principles with an objective of preventing severe disease and deaths. Preventing severe disease will reduce congestion in hospitals and ICU, and will indirectly benefit people with other diseases who also need ICU facilities,” she said.
The SLMA has issued a media statement: “With the roll out of the vaccines, certain characteristics that are specific for the type of the vaccines have been identified. Especially with the Delta variant, while all vaccines reduce death and hospitalization, fully vaccinated people can be infected and develop mild symptoms, such as fever, cough, etc. However, studies have revealed that a minority of fully vaccinated people can get severe disease, and may even die. Studies from Bahrain has shown that in those over 50 years, people given the Sinopharm vaccine, while preventing death and severe disease compared to the unvaccinated, had a slightly increased death rate, and’ hospitalisation compared to the Pfizer, Moderna, Sputnik and AstraZeneca vaccines. Studies from the laboratory of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Sri Jayewardenepura University (SJPU) has shown that, while almost all people over 60 years given the AZ vaccine develop antibodies, a very small proportion, 7%, given Sinopharm do not do so. In addition, patients with some diseases or on certain drugs (organ and stem cell (bone marrow) transplant recipients, patients with active cancer, those on immunosuppressive therapies and on dialysis, advanced HIV have a weak immune system, and will not produce antibodies, whatever the vaccine that was given.
“1. For this reason, we propose that people over 60 who had been given two doses of Sinopharm, and those with a weak immune system, be given a third dose, with AZ, Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. The study from Bahrain and data from SJPU indicate that people below 60 years produce a robust immune response to Sinopharm, and are protected from death or severe disease.
“2. We therefore recommend that all people (without the diseases mentioned above) are given two doses of Sinopharm. Children from 12 — 18 years generally do not get severe disease. However, children with certain underlying diseases may get severe disease. We therefore recommend two doses of Pfizer for this group. Some people have been administered one dose of Sputnik; the second dose is different from the first. If the second dose is not available.We suggest that a single dose of AZ, Pfizer or Moderna be given instead.
“Studies in the UK and the US have shown, that, with AZ, Pfizer and Moderna, protection (effectiveness) against severe disease and death is maintained for at least six months.
We therefore suggest that, as there may be a waning of immunity with time, a booster dose of the same or a different vaccine, be given to people over 60 years, who had been given two doses of AZ, at least 6 months after the second dose. Studies have shown that immunity is boosted, with this regimen.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
