Speaking to The Morning yesterday (13), University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof. Sampath Amaratunge said that the Government has decided to vaccinate the staff of all age groups of Western Province-based state universities first. “Under the instructions of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Government has taken a decision to vaccinate academic and non-academic staff of seven Western Province-based state universities. Staff of private universities and higher education institutions based in the Western Province would be vaccinated following the vaccination of those at the above state universities. Medical Officers from the said universities have been appointed to co-ordinate the vaccination programme in the universities, while the vaccination programme is to be handled by the Army. When queried about the vaccine to be administered, Prof. Amaratunge said that it could be either the Chinese Sinopharm or Russian Sputnik V vaccine.

Source: The Nation May 13, 2021 18:56 UTC