The vaccines Argentina is waiting for these days | …

Amid the global vaccine shortage, Argentina could receive a significant number of doses this week. The Russian Fund for Direct Investment and the Gamaleya Institute they promised to ship 400,000 doses this week 1 before next Monday. This would strongly stimulate vaccination. But, in addition, according to the contract signed by Alberto Fernández last week, Oxford / AstraZeneca It would also meet this week with the shipment of the first batch of the 580,000 agreed doses. At the end of the month. Finally, Casa Rosada confirmed to this newspaper that in the last hours the agreement was concluded with Sinopharm, the Chinese laboratory, for one million vaccines, half-dose 1 and half-dose 2. Sinopharm’s commitment is to give birth before the end of the month.

Even if some of the alternatives are delayed, the vaccine flow becomes more than fluid and the big challenge will be vaccination across the country.

Argentina opted for Sputnik V, being the first country to approve it. Now the vaccine is the world star – even Germany wants it – among other reasons because in the scientific world it is established that it has the advantage of using two different vectors, i.e. that dose 1 is not the same as dose 2. The commitment is that this week 400,000 doses 1 will come, which already guarantees 70% immunity.

As made public last week, the president signed the deal with Oxford / AstraZeneca for 580,000 doses in February and the same amount in March. Some would also start coming, from India, also in the next seven days. The vaccine has two advantages. First of all, its cost: four dollars. Below Sputnik, $ 9.50 and well below Sinopharm, $ 20. In addition, it does not require storage at 17 degrees below zero, but at the temperature of a normal refrigerator.

Casa Rosada sources confirmed to Page 12 that the agreement with the Chinese laboratory has been finalized. The original price was $ 30 and there were even countries that paid it over $ 70. This will end up costing Argentina $ 20. The contract states that they must be delivered before the end of the month. Specifically, there are a million vaccines, dose 1 and dose 2, before the end of February.

To all this we must add that the Russian Fund and Gamaleya say that they hope to deliver a million doses in the last two weeks of February. If this were the case, there will be a great deal of progress to be made in immunizing people over 60 and teachers.