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Chile’s health regulatory agency said on Wednesday it had approved the emergency use of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and German biotech company BioNTech. The immunizer can be administered to people over 16 years of age in the country. Chile is the first country in South America to grant a launch for a vaccine against the disease.
The Institute of Public Health (ISP) received the request on November 27 and asked a committee of experts to review the background information presented by the pharmacist, who carried out the process almost in parallel with his evaluation in the United States.
“This resolution will be probative with certain aspects of control, and as we advance and seeing that there is more information, we will be able to expand it,” said Heriberto García, director of the ISP, during the session.
“There is a whole important analysis on how we are going to do studies and analysis of risk and pharmacovigilance to accurately reassure the population about any situation that justifies it,” he added.
The Pfizer vaccine is one of those with which the Chilean government has signed contracts to guarantee access if its effectiveness is proven. The immunizer is already being applied, urgently, in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.
Over the weekend, Health Minister Enrique Paris said the country is logistically ready to start applying Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine as soon as it is approved and available.
Chile has 576,731 cases and 15,959 deaths from the disease.
