More than 2,700,000 doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 will arrive in Peru between May 29 and June 5, which sets a new record for the largest number of doses received in a week,
Health Minister Oscar Ugarte announced on Tuesday.
In total, 1,215,630 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive this week. On Thursday, Peru will receive 250,380 doses directly from the laboratory and 468,000 through COVAX Facility. On Friday, another 245,700 doses will arrive through the same multilateral mechanism.
Ugarte emphasized that people aged 63-64 are already being vaccinated in Metropolitan Lima and Callao, and that the date of the commencement of the vaccination program for people aged 60, 61, and 62 years will be announced soon.
In addition, he disclosed that 700,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine will arrive next Wednesday and another 300,000 on Saturday, which will complete the delivery of another one million doses.
"This will mark the largest single-week shipment of vaccines to the country," the minister remarked.
The government official explained that the constant supply of vaccines will help improve the protection of residents in Peru, adding that the mortality rate for people over 80 years (age group of people who have received the two doses) has decreased significantly.
(END) NDP/LIT/RMB
Published: 6/1/2021