NMRA approves Oxford /AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use – Prof. Jayasumana

By Rathindra Kuruwita

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) had given regulatory clearance for the emergency use of Oxford /AstraZeneca, State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana told reporters on Friday (22).

Jayasumana said the vaccine would reach Sri Lanka soon and that it was the first time the NMRA had approved a COVID-19 vaccine.

The State Minister of Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation said that the NMRA had also received applications to bring down other COVID-19 vaccines.

“We took this decision at a meeting of the NMRA,” he said.

Prof. Jayasumana said COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca was expected to work by preparing the body to defend itself against coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The virus used proteins on its outer surface, called spike proteins, to enter the body’s cells and cause disease, he added.

He said so in the aftermath of the detection of the highested number of COVID-19 cases in a day on Thursday. The number of infections was 887. The previous record daily case count was on 02 December 2020 when 878 detections were made.

Cases were reported in all 25 Districts on Thursday. Among them are; 337 cases in Colombo District,36 in Gampaha, 71 in Kalutara, 51 in Matale, 49 in Kandy, 47 in Galle, 33 in Kurunegala, 29 in Ampara, 25 Ratnapura, 21 in Polonnaruwa, and 14 returnees from abroad.

Among the MOH areas where a large number of detections were made are; 48 from Colombo Fort, 32 from Mount Lavinia, 29 from Maradana, 24 from Mattakkuliya, 24 from Warakamula, 21 from Piliyandala, 19 from Nittambuwa, 15 from Neluwa, 13 from Kurunegla and 12 from Pulasthipura.