First covid vaccine shots arrive early 2021

The first batch of 450,000 vaccines from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer will arrive in Panama between January and March 2021 and will be distributed to a specific population.

“We have initiated a vaccination plan with priority groups, among them: health officials, national security, bedridden adults over 60 years of age, and those in nursing homes,” said Deputy Minister of Health, Ivette Berrio.

The vice-minister led the organization and coordination commission this Saturday, for the arrival of the first doses of vaccine.

During the meeting, it was reported that in a second phase, without specifying a date, the arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine is expected “totaling 1.1 million doses, and will be considered for older adults.”

In a third phase, Panama will receive 300,000 doses of the Jhonson & Jhonson vaccine, aimed at the indigenous population and difficult to access.

While in a fourth phase, 1.1 million doses of the Covax vaccine are expected, selected for people with chronic diseases. And in a fifth phase, another batch of the Pfizer vaccine will arrive, for students over 12 years old, said the vice minister.

The Minsa is also organizing for the construction of a 160 cubic meter cold room, in addition to the construction of four cold rooms that will work in a divided way for the 15 regions of the country and 15 freezers for each region.

Meanwhile, the coordinator of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), Itzel de Hewitt, stressed that this first batch of vaccines will exempt the placement of children under 12 years of age, people with a diagnosis of HIV / AIDS, pregnant women, and to people allergic to eggs.