08/08/2021 13:43
Clarín.com
Cities
Updated 08/08/2021 1:43 PM
With the endorsement of the technical studies to combine vaccines against the coronavirus, the Buenos Aires Minister of Health, Fernán Quirós, explained this Sunday why the City of Buenos Aires
is only using the Moderna vaccine to
replace the second component of Sputnik V, at time that considered that the acceptance of the people is
"very high"
.
"
We decided to give 150 thousand shifts with the Moderna vaccine
because the arrival of AstraZeneca is not yet regular, the amount is not enough and we do not want to occupy the vaccines of those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca and are waiting for their second", clarified the Buenos Aires minister .
In dialogue with
Radio Rivadavia
, Quirós celebrated that "the degree of acceptance of the exchange was very high" and put it in figures: "We have sent some 160 thousand invitations, of which
110 thousand
already answered us that they were
willing to exchange
."
It is not a minor fact, since the national government had reported that people initially inoculated with Sputnik V could choose between completing the vaccination schedule with another drug or waiting for the second component of the Russian vaccine.
Moderna's vaccine arrived in the country thanks to a donation from the United States. AP Photo
Although it is unknown when the country will be able to count on new doses of Sputnik V, Quirós was optimistic about the arrival of the second component: "
We know that a flight from Russia is coming with it
and the locally manufactured Sputnik is
about to arrive.
So from Wednesday we hope to receive component 2 and complete the people who are waiting to receive it in the City. "
The official also added that they are giving about
"30 thousand shifts per day"
and that by Wednesday they will complete the 150 thousand shifts enabled with Moderna.
In general terms, Quirós stressed that "the most important thing is that
people get vaccinated as soon as possible
, either with Moderna or with AstraZeneca."
As reported by the national Health Minister, Carla Vizzotti, the studies carried out showed that it is possible to combine Moderna or AstraZeneca with the first dose of Sputnik V, although not that of Sinopharm since the results "were not conclusive."
Delta variant
All the optimism that Quirós showed regarding vaccination slipped when talking about the third wave and the Delta variant.
He assured that community circulation will occur
"in the short term"
and asked to maintain personal care and social distance.
"
Community circulation of the Delta variant will occur in the short term
, because in all the countries of the world it has occurred in a sequence of events that have already occurred in the country and in the City. We know that in the coming weeks we will have community circulation and that then grows numerically day by day, "he said.
Anyway, he assured that vaccination will be a palliative to go through the third wave.
"When you manage to vaccinate with the two doses, in a significant way, the number of cases is no longer the most important variable but
the number of occupied beds
," said the minister.
And he concluded: "Perhaps we are going to see a third wave in the next few weeks, but it may
not have so much social damage, so many internees
and it may not be so serious for the people."
DD
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