Gathering momentum in anti-Covid drive

The vaccination program against Covid-19 in this country has begun gathering momentum and, predictably, many questions and controversies have also began surfacing. Several opposition MPs from the Samagi Jana Balavegaya and the JVP proclaimed that they will not jump the queue and avail themselves of the special vaccination privilege granted to MPs. They have received some left handed compliments for this gesture with some commentators lauding what they have done in this regard but adding that they are not averse to enjoying the many other privileges lavished on our legislators. These are too many to recount and in any case well known to the electors who sent them to parliament. Vaccinating 225 parliamentarians will obviously not disrupt a roll out involving the administering of millions of doses to a sizable proportion of our population. But a wrong signal has gone out that some are more equal than others in this country.

We’ve been treated to telecasts of some MPs driving to the Army Hospital to get their jabs. Others have gone on the airwaves to say why they will not utilize the privilege. The JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the other day that the Danish premier has said he was on the bottom of the priority list in his country. A handful of our MPs, including the health minister – who incidentally took the Dammika peniya – got infected with the virus and all, thankfully, have recovered. But former Speaker WJM Loku Bandara died on Covid, reportedly having declined to be put on a ventilator. MPs have not decided on party lines whether they will or will not get themselves vaccinated on a priority basis. There was even one report of reluctance of some Tamil MPs to get vaccinated at the Army Hospital. This earned them a well deserved rap on the knuckles from the army commander.

We run in this issue of our newspaper some articles discussing the vaccination program. One contributor has confessed delight at the aggressive questioning of the deputy health minister of Viyathmaga fame on a national television program. This worthy, trying to justify preferential treatment for MPs , looked like a “deer caught in the headlights” and did not even seem to himself believe what he was saying, this writer has said. The Island reported yesterday that Venerable Athureliya Ratana, who fought his way to a national list seat in the legislature was taking an Indian jab to go to China. The venerable priest who’s had many avatars in his political career, entered parliament this time round with the Ape Janabala Party livery. He’d previously been elected on the tickets of the Jathika Hela Urumaya, United People’s Freedom Alliance and the UNP. Having been vocal on the quality of the Indian vaccine and virtues of ayurvedic protection against the virus, he said he took the jab to avoid long quarantine in China he would shortly visit. He clearly did not wish to scuttle his trip to live up to previously stated positions.

We are also running an informative update on the Covid-19 vaccine written by a senior consultant paediatrician who is president of the Vaccine and Serum Forum of Sri Lanka. He has given a great deal of useful information and said that “the majority of the vaccines used so far may not provide the expected picture-perfect immunity and the world may continue to have Covid-19 infection.” But based on evidence, there has been speculation claiming that the vaccination could provide almost 100% protection from death which “is what we all want.”

The government has planned to buy many million doses of the Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, and the State Pharmaceutical Corporation is reported to have placed an order for 18 million doses already. There is no word yet of when this supply is expected to arrive. But vaccination is proceeding according to plan and hopefully the inoculation of front line workers fighting the pandemic can be soon completed. The half a million doses gifted by India was landed at Katunayake at the end of last month and vaccinations commenced the very next day. Despite all the negative recent commentary about India in the local media, Sri Lankans must be grateful for India’s contribution to fight the virus. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who received the first consignment at the Bandaranaike International Airport thanked the people of India for their generosity.

In addition to the Indian vaccine, 300,000 doses donated by China is also due in the short term. The World Health Organization (WHO) will provide 20 percent of our requirements as a grant. As two doses are needed for each person inoculated, half as many people as the number of doses purchased or obtained as gifts/grants will get the needed cover. But it has been stressed that total immunity is not possible and various success rates for the different vaccines have been published. Funds for the procurement have been accorded the highest priority; yet we must guard against the delays too often encountered in government purchases. While nobody must be allowed to make a fast buck on procuring the vaccine – let us not forget the recent ruckus over PCR testing machines – there has to be a consciousness that too much red tape can work against us in a buyers’ market.

The private sector has been granted some space to help fight the pandemic and PCR testing is available in some private hospitals. It may be worth exploring whether they should also be permitted to procure the vaccine and offer inoculation to those who can afford to pay. In one of the articles we run today, the writer has said that countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are moving in the direction of permitting retail sale of the vaccine. He has expressed the opinion that this is a sensible move that will help take some pressure off state facilities. This has already happened in the case of ordinary healthcare and also in education. Private hospitals have already begun providing Covid treatment in spaces obtained in hotels without guests. So allowing them to also offer vaccination should be considered.