Uruguay approved Pfizer vaccine for minors between 12 and 18 years old

Uruguay will vaccinate minors aged 12 to 18 against COVID-19 with doses from the American laboratory Pfizer, After its approval by the vaccination commission of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP), the president of the South American country reported on Tuesday, Luis Lacalle Pou.

In an interview with Channel 10, the president assured that At the end of this week, the agenda will be open so that the population included in this age group can be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Today, the Vaccines Commission authorized the vaccination of 12 to 18 years, with which already at the end of this week we will call to have them scheduled“In this age group,” says Lacalle Pou.

The head of state also confirmed that his executive has just signed “A reserve of more than 500,000 doses of (the Chinese vaccine) Sinovac” to increase its distribution and which evaluates “a third dose“To strengthen its effectiveness:” And there we will have all the vaccines for everyone, “he said.

Uruguay has already purchased more than six million doses of COVID vaccines, including purchases from Pfizer and Sinovac. It has also compromised the immunizers of the Covax mechanism, through which some 100,000 doses of Astrazeneca have so far arrived.

The president once again defended his decision to avoid more stringent measures reduction of mobility, on which the scientific community and medical associations have insisted. “Those who ask for quarantine are the employees, those who are billed at the end of the month (…) The day laborer crosses me and says thank you for not having starved me”, he claimed.

After an exemplary year 2020 in the management of the pandemic, Uruguay is currently going through the worst time of the health emergency.

The country of 3.5 million inhabitants register 4,276 deaths from COVID-19 and stay like the country of the world with the highest relative number of deaths from the virus in the past 14 days, according to agency figures AFP.

The government is putting all its tokens on vaccination, which started on March 1 and is progressing at a good pace. “In mid-July we should have two million Uruguayans with the doses of vaccines”, estimated Lacalle Pou. And he added: “We are going to have a sharp decrease in circulation and the presence of the virus.”

Since Tuesday, 52% of the population has already received at least one dose of Sinovac, Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines. 29% are fully vaccinated.

Uruguay closed May with 37,226 active cases –only 449 below the worst number, recorded on Saturday 29– and a total of deaths close to that of April (around 1,600). According to data collected by the Uruguayan Ministry of Public Health (MSP) and collected by the Uruguayan Interdisciplinary Group for the Analysis of Covid-19 Data (GUIAD), only in the last two months Uruguay has added 3,209 deaths from covid-19: 1,609 in April and 1,600 so far in May.

Since the health emergency was declared on March 13, 2020, 4,213 people have died in Uruguay from this disease, 70% of whom died between April and May of this year.

This month, the first few days with over 4,000 new cases since March 2020 and the latest daily report from the Uruguayan Society of Intensive Medicine (SUMI) reports that 77.4% of intensive care beds are occupied, 56% due to cases of covid-19.

The slogan of “shield“A month, which was raised in April by the coordinator of the Honorary Scientific Advisory Group (GACH) which advises the executive branch of Uruguay on COVID-19, Rafael Radi, it did not materialize in April or May.

The proposal was to ensure that, for a whole month, government measures and respect for the people of Uruguay will involve a decrease in the number of coronavirus cases as well as the advance of vaccination to get out before the critical situation the country is going through today.

However, Lacalle Pou maintained his position of calling for the “responsible liberty” of each individual and the Government did not call for a resumption of the attitude of “Stay at home” “Do not go out” -which was the rule at the start of the pandemic-, there was no shield or brake.

Currently, and despite epidemics in schools, there is a gradual return to face-to-face lessons; gymnasiums and sports clubs, duty free shops (“free shops”) have reopened after nearly two months of closure; and bars and restaurants have restricted hours until midnight but continue to operate, such as shopping malls.

Suspension of shows, events Yes Holidays remain in effect for at least one more week, although it is expected that the next Saturday a first experience of “responsible pass” is carried out to access a performance of the Ballet Nacional del Sodre.

With information from EFE and AFP

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