More than 8 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in Peru this month, which will help continue to fulfill the scheduled vaccination appointments and protect the population against the virus,
Health Minister Hernando Cevallos has reported.
The government official explained that a batch of half a million doses of the Pfizer vaccine will arrive on August 12, while one million doses of Sinopharm's will do so on August 14.
"A total of 8 million vaccines are expected to arrive this month (August), another 13 million will come in September, and an additional 16 million doses are planned to land in October," Cevallos told RPP radio and TV station.
According to the Cabinet member, this will enable a more aggressive distribution (of the vaccine) across regions and the planning of a
Vaccinathon for next week, to step up the pace of the immunization drive massively.
"We want to get the most vulnerable people vaccinated, mainly those aged 60 and above, who are most vulnerable to complications or tend to die in ICU," he remarked.
Nevertheless, the minister did not rule out the possibility of expanding the vaccination target at different vaccination sites operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Lima and Callao.
"For example, the vaccination drive is currently aimed at teenagers with special comorbidities, who are receiving the first or second dose; as well as those whose appointment was scheduled on the government's official '
Pongo el Hombro' (I Lend a Shoulder) platform, who are receiving their second vaccine jab," the high-ranking official noted.
He went on to say that the vaccination target will be expanded starting August 15 and 16, as more doses of the COVID-19 vaccines will be available by then.
(END) LIT/RMB/MVB
Published: 8/10/2021