GMOA identifies priority groups for immediate vaccination

by Rathindra Kuruwita

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) yesterday identified four categories of people who needed to be vaccinated on a priority basis to reduce the number of COVID-19 related deaths and economic disruptions.

The four priority categories, according to the GMOA, are frontline staff and their high risk associates, all citizens over the age of 60, those between the ages of 18 and 60, who suffer from non-communicable diseases, and pregnant women.

Secretary of the GMOA, Dr. Senal Fernando said that those over 60 comprise over 75% of COVID-19 deaths and that 83% of deaths of those between 18 and 60 had been reported from among those with non- communicable diseases.

All the above-mentioned groups comprised about 20% of the total population and about 10 million vaccines were needed to inoculate them, Dr. Fernando said.

“If we can vaccinate this group within the next two months we can reduce deaths and disruptions to daily activities. Then we can systematically work towards inoculating 70% of the population that is necessary to control the spread of COVID-19,” he said.

Currently, the government was vaccinating those over the age of 30 and they only comprised 51.6% of the population, the GMOA secretary said. “We need 30 million jabs to vaccinate 70% of the people and that will take time,” he said.