Vaccination for all elders in care homes

Already about 75 per cent vaccinated

By Rathindra Kuruwita

There was a belief among some administrators of elders care homes that their charges did not need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as they did not leave their premises, Dr. D.W.D.H Saranajeewa, Director-Youth Elderly Disabled and Displaced of the Health Ministry told the media yesterday.

Addressing the media, she said senior citizens were extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.

“If you look at foreign countries, elders care homes are especially vulnerable and a large number of elders have died. We are very mindful of this and that is why we have been aggressively vaccinating senior citizens,” she said.

Dr. Saranajeewa said that around 75% of the senior citizens living in homes for elders in Sri Lanka had been vaccinated and the goal was to inoculate all of them as soon as possible.  

“Those in charge of elders’ homes should talk to the relevant area PHI or other health officers in charge of vaccinations and ensure the vaccination of their charges as soon as possible. Senior citizens at home or at these centres need to be vaccinated soon if we want to save them from new variants,” she said.

According to Dr. Saranajeewa there are 349 elders’ homes, accommodating 8,806 people. Of those adults, 6,360 have already been vaccinated and another 2,446 are scheduled to be vaccinated.

Those homes employed about 3,000 workers and they too would be fully vaccinated soon, State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and Covid Disease Control, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle said a few days ago. Other elders over 60 years of age were still being vaccinated at selected government hospitals and locations, Dr. Fernandopulle said.