Colombo, Jul 7 (IANS): Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed the Health Ministry to administer the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines on those who had received the AstraZeneca as their first jabs in capital Colombo.

The Health Ministry received 26,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccines on Monday after the State Pharmaceutical Corporation purchased it from the US, reports Xinhua news agency.

The President said on Tuesday that out of the total 26,000 doses received, 25,000 doses should be administered as the second jabs for those who received the AstraZeneca as their first doses in capital Colombo.

According to medical officials, Colombo has been one of the worst affected by the spread of the Delta variant.

Following the President's directive, Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake was quoted by local media as saying the vaccine will be administered on residents between 55 and 69, who obtained the Astrazeneca vaccine as the first dose.

Senanayake said the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) had already inoculated 88 per cent of Colombo residents who are 70 years and above with the Astrazeneca vaccine as the second dose.

Senanayake said the CMC will now embark on inoculating those between the ages of 55 and 69 with the Pfizer doses.

Sri Lanka is facing a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic with authorities warning of a spread of the Delta variant.

The country has to date recorded 267,433 patients since the first local case was detected in March last year, while 3,313 deaths have been reported.