'Get Astra Zeneca at any costs,' says the President to Lalith.

As 600,000 people await their second vaccinations, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed his chief advisor Lalith Weeratunga to speed up the search for AstraZeneca vaccines.

Because time is running out, the President has directed Weeratunga to secure the stockpiles as quickly as possible and to buy the doses at whatever cost.

Sri Lanka has made inquiries to many countries that hold the stocks, as well as individual enterprises that have additional equities that they purchased for their employees.

When the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) asked if they may buy from these third parties, AstraZeneca responded that the stocks could be counterfeit and that they should be notified to the authorities right away.

Sri Lankan officials have stated that they are willing to charter a jet to fly down these vaccines if the stock of 600,000 doses can be successfully obtained by any authorized source or country.

Requests have also been made to the Serum Institute of India, which had pledged stocks but had to cease supply due to increased local demand and the Indian government's temporary ban on vaccine imports.

According to a senior official, the authorities distributed all 1 million Astra Zeneca doses to the public because Serum Institute had promised the SPC continuous supplies to ensure the smooth administration of the second jabs, but it did not follow through on its promise.

When the cabinet meets with the President and Prime Minister every week, they have been discussing the subject incessantly, but there has been no constructive reaction in terms of getting the dosage.

Desperate individuals who received the first doses of the Astra Zeneca dosage have been queuing outside hospitals and even temples in recent days, after word of the likelihood of receiving the jabs spread through Whatsapp groups.

Even said, the administration has yet to make an official announcement about what would happen if the stockpiles did not arrive in the country.

The duration between the first and second treatments has been extended to 16 weeks by health experts, but they now suggest it can be extended further. (JAMILA HUSAIN /