A consignment of Sinopharm (BBIBP-CorV) vaccines manufactured by China to fight against the Coronavirus pandemic was brought to the island this morning (31). The vaccines were transported from Beijing on SriLankan Airlines flight UL809, arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport.
The vaccine was stored in the aircraft's special cold storage compartment and will be stored in the Airport premises until its delivery to the Central Vaccine Storage Complex of the Ministry of Health using refrigerated vehicles.
The Cargo handling of the vaccine doses by offloading and clearing on a priority basis was carried out by SriLankan Cargo.
Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong officially handed over a batch of anti-Covid vaccine; Sinopharm donated by the Chinese government to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Airport.
The consignment of vaccines was presented to Sri Lanka upon request by President Rajapaksa to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Sinopharm has been manufactured by a biotech pharmaceutical company based in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
Vaccination of Chinese nationals in Sri Lanka will commence on Monday. The National Medicines Regulatory Authority says that the vaccination of Sri Lankans will begin after a study by a committee of experts.
Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Minister of State Prof.
Channa Jayasumana signed the documents pertaining to the donation of 600,000 vaccine stock.