Coronavirus in Argentina: Carla Vizzotti confirmed that China will deliver another million vaccines before the end of the month

03/25/2021 7:11 PM

• Clarín.com

• Society

Updated 03/25/2021 7:26 PM

Carla Vizzotti, Minister of Health of the Nation, confirmed that China authorized the shipment of

one million doses of the Sinopharm vaccine

against the coronavirus before the end of the month.

The novelty was announced minutes after the ANMAT recommended applying the Chinese product to people

over 60 years of age.

"This is great news, because from now on with Sinopharm we will also be able to immunize people over 60", celebrated Vizzotti, regarding the extension of the age range of the target population of the Sinopharm vaccine.

The Aerolineas Argentinas plane that brought 904,000 Sinopharm coronavirus vaccines to the country from China last month.

Photo Mario Quinteros

"We have already received a million doses of that vaccine. And the contract

provides for 3 million doses

in the coming weeks," the minister reviewed in A24.

And he confirmed that China

gave its approval

for a second batch to be collected in the next few days: "Today they authorized

us to search for a million

doses before the end of the month."

Vizzotti

did not give details on when

this second shipment will take place.

"We are working to define this last step. It is quite a challenge due to the flight, the presentation of the vaccines and the containers," he explained.

The first shipment was completed in two flights.

On Thursday, February 25,

904 thousand doses

arrived

on an Aerolineas Argentinas plane, while three days later

96 thousand

arrived

on an Air France KLM plane.

Vaccines against the coronavirus: Sputnik V and Sinopharm have already arrived in Argentina.

Also the Covishield of India.

AFP photo

This Friday, a new shipment of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine will arrive in the country on an Aerolineas Argentinas flight.

It has not yet been confirmed how many doses it will bring.

And for Sunday, the arrival of the first batch of the Covax system is expected, which would consist of

218 thousand AstraZeneca vaccines

.

Definitions time

Vizzotti also announced that this Friday there will be a definition on the possibility of

deferring

the application of the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine for

three months

.

"Never think about a single dose. But think about a two-dose strategy and interfere with

the second dose

in an

interval of at least three months

, re-evaluating the information that arrives in real time on experience in other countries," said the minister. .

He explained that in successive meetings a consensus was reached to change the vaccination schedule, which provides a

minimum time of 14 to 28 days

between each dose.

In the next few hours, the extension of the interval between the two doses of the coronavirus vaccine would be made official.

Photo Andrea D'Elia

"The

interval is minimal

. If it is shortened, it has interference in the immune response and defenses, but what is being seen in the world in all vaccines - not only against Covid - is that there is no maximum interval that makes it lose the effect of the vaccine, "he explained.

In this way, it is expected to

reach more population

with the first application.

"It is important to vaccinate more people with the first dose, knowing that the effectiveness of that first dose is very important and that the second

is to increase the effectiveness a little

and, above all, to make it last longer."

Thus, the next few hours will be key: "Tomorrow we will have the meeting of the Federal Health Council, in which that consensus will be generated. After the meeting, we will report on the recommendations."

DD

Look also

The Government approved the use of the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm against the coronavirus for those over 60 years of age

Covid vaccination: a survey reveals differences between people's priorities and those resolved by the Government