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On Saturday, February 20, Colombia will begin mass vaccination against covid-19.
The president, Iván Duque, also announced that the portfolio of vaccines to which Colombians will have access will include the pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Sinovac.
“With the closing of the negotiation of the agreements for the acquisition of the additional remainder that allows us to reach 35 million Colombians, which is the main objective of the National Vaccination Plan,” said the president.
Thus, the country managed to ensure coverage that represents 70 percent of the population, with the purchase of 10 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine for 5 million citizens, who will receive two doses, and 2.5 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine to immunize 1.25 million Colombians.
Previously, the government had insured 29 million full doses: 10 million from Pfizer / BioNTech biological; 10 million from Oxford / AstraZeneca; 9 million from Janssen; and 10 million through the Covax strategy.
In this regard, the Minister of Health, Fernando Ruiz, pointed out that the basket of vaccines that the country has have “shown efficacy, all exceed the minimum standard required by the WHO for vaccination processes and allow us a diverse portfolio of maneuverability in the face of any eventuality ”, he specified.
Likewise, Ruiz presented the vaccination projection month by month, starting on February 20, 2021.
President Duque signed the decree by which the National Vaccination Plan against covid-19 is adopted, and also explained the process that will be carried out in the country in the 15 days prior to the start of immunization.
“In the previous weeks we will be doing pedagogy and we will be working with all the actors that the vaccination chain includes. The idea is to close this first quarter of the year with at least one million immunized Colombians, ”said Duque.
According to the Ministry of Health, in February the application of 337,000 doses is estimated, in March 3’333,764, for April 4’663,843, in May 3’939,843 and during June the application of 7’553,450 doses is expected.
In the second half of 2021, the challenge will be greater, since in July it is estimated that 8,294,941 doses will be applied and August is the month that more vaccines will be given in Colombia with 11,258,941, for September they are 5,642,941, in October 6,260,116, in November: 4’934.352 and the last month of the year, 3’166.666 vaccines will be applied.
“This availability allows us two things. First, to concentrate a large part of the vaccination process between the beginning of the year and the middle of 2021, where we will have the highest volume of vaccines, ”said Minister Ruiz, calling on the territorial entities to have all the necessary capacity.
With the projection and availability presented, Colombia has the possibility of completing the vaccination in 100% in 2021.
The effort of the National Government represents an investment of more than 2 billion pesos with which it seeks to provide Colombians with the ability to overcome the current pandemic.
“To this we have to add the work of the country’s departments and municipalities executing the Plan, and the EPS and IPS that must guarantee the entire process and Colombians can have confidence in the efficacy and safety of the vaccines,” Ruiz added.
Duque pointed out that the important thing about the National Vaccination Plan is sustainability over time and guaranteeing schedules.
“We have seen in the world countries that have made the decision, and we respect it, to start vaccination cycles without having guaranteed continuity. We made the decision, planned, ”he said.
