Andina

Peru: Vaccination of pregnant women begins in Lima and Callao

Photo: PCM

Photo: PCM

12:58 | Lima, Jun. 13.

The vaccination of women from 28 weeks of pregnancy —to help protect them and their babies from COVID-19 infection— kicked off on Saturday, June 12, at the vaccination center set up in Parque de la Exposicion (Exposition Park) in Lima, the Ministry of Health (Minsa) has reported.


Prime Minister Violeta Bermudez, joined by Health Minister Oscar Ugarte, took part in the launch of this campaign, which is intended to inoculate 30,000 —Peruvian and foreign— pregnant women a month, initially in Lima and Callao.

Patricia Robles —an inhabitant of the district of Surquillo— was one of the pregnant women vaccinated on Saturday, as well as Liz Arroyo —from San Miguel— who is 30 weeks pregnant.

Goals achieved

Ugarte indicated that Saturday was an important day as it marked the beginning of this effort for the benefit of pregnant women, adding that over 5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far. 

"The vaccination of all the elderly and other groups such as the Armed Forces, firefighters, and people on the front line, as well as vulnerable groups like pregnant women, will be completed in June," he reaffirmed.

For her part, Bermudez noted that in recent days more than 100,000 people a day have been vaccinated as a result of the concerted efforts made, together with regional and local governments, as well as private institutions.

"This effort will be implemented steadily and intensively because we have secured more than 62 million vaccines, which will allow us to immunize the entire population over the age of 18 by the end of 2021," she remarked.

Nevertheless, the Cabinet chief reiterated the recommendations to avoid COVID-19 infection, such as wearing two face masks, maintaining social distancing, and avoiding crowds, which pose a risk of contagion.

(END) NDP/LIT/RMB

Published: 6/13/2021