Vizzotti: according to the schedule “in April the doses would begin to be received” from AstraZeneca – Telam

The Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti, insisted on Monday with the importance of “scaling up care” in the face of increasing cases of the coronavirus in order to “be able to give time” to the development of the vaccination campaign, “which is ongoing and supported”.

“A sustained increase in the number of cases has been observed, which do not have the same speed as in December, but which require increased care to be able to give time to the vaccination, which is continuous and sustained”, said the official.

On the other hand, he assured that, “from AstraZeneca, they have published a schedule according to which during the month of April the doses” of the vaccine manufactured by this laboratory will begin to be received, the tasks being distributed among the Argentina and Mexico.

Speaking with FM Urbana, the official explained, about this vaccine, that “We don’t produce doses, we produce antigens, and this antigen requires a very complex termination process that cannot be done here; otherwise it would have been done.”

“Mexico was in a position to do that and that is why AstraZeneca created this agreement between Argentina and Mexico for production,” he said.

Vizzotti also specified that “in the contract (with AstraZeneca) from the beginning, it was established that the vaccines were to be received between the end of March and the beginning of April”.

Regarding the arrival of one million doses of Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, Vizzotti said the government expects “to hear from you this week.”, and he asserted that “once the vaccines are in place, there is a whole process that has to do with exports, with boxes, with thefts and in that process a lot of people are working to get that million. doses as soon as possible “.

“No (vaccination) plan is going to interrupt the circulation of the virus, but what is wanted is to attract those who are at higher risk of complications and death.”“

Regarding the announcements made last night with the Chief of Staff, Santiago Cafiero, Vizzotti gave an overview of what is happening in Argentina: “The summer is ending, there is a movement of people and you can see what has happened in the northern hemisphere and in neighboring countries.”

Regarding the priorities for the application of vaccines, he recalled that “these are over 70 years old and then those over 60 will follow, since 82% of the dead are over 60 years old, and especially over 70 years old”.

“No (vaccination) plan is going to interrupt the circulation of the virus, but what is wanted is to attract those who are at higher risk of complications and death,” the official said.

He also recalled that the vaccination priorities were set “in consensus with the 24 jurisdictions”.

Explanation of how vaccines are applied according to age group

Before questioning, specify that some districts, such as the province of Buenos Aires, apply vaccines simultaneously to people in the age group between 60 and 80 years, while the city of Buenos Aires first vaccinates those in their 80s, and when ends with this band begins with the next age group.

Regarding the government’s decision to apply a first dose and postpone the second by three months to reach more people with available vaccines, he insisted that “this does not mean that the second dose will not be not administered “, and asserted that a similar measure has been adopted by countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada.

“He is looking to reduce mortality, and to keep working to receive more vaccines and that this period (between the first and the second dose) be shortened as much as possible,” he said.