Colombo: President Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday ordered frontline workers and tourism staff to be given a third booster shot from the Covid-19 vaccine next month, part of an effort to reopen the industry and revive the economy.
More than 1 million people include security personnel, health care staff and tourism industry workers will be given third shots from the Pfizer vaccine from November 1, the President’s office said in a statement.
So far Sri Lanka has entirely vaccinated a little more than 60% of 22 million people.
The country depends on international tourism, and partially rolled back the limitation of Covid-19 late last month, allowing tourists who were fully vaccinated with negative tests to enter without quarantine.
Income from tourism dropped from $ 4.3 billion in 2018 to only $ 33 million in the first eight months of this year.
Reviving this industry is considered important to restore reserves which only reached $ 2.6 billion at the end of September.
Tourism Minister Prasana Ranatunga said there was a strong interest from travelers from countries such as Russia, England, France and Germany, and international flights would increase from next month.
“The target is to have a strong winter from November to March or April next year,” he told Reuters.
It is estimated that 400,000 people are employed in the tourism industry.
Some travel limits, including between provinces, will only be appointed from November 1 when the authorities focus on reducing the death rate of Covid-19 to zero.