Vice President Raquel Peña met on 24 August 2021 with Education Minister Roberto Fulcar, Superior Education Minister Franklin García Fermín and Public Health Minister Daniel Rivera and agreed to set up vaccination points at all public schools and universities for the start of on-site teaching in September. The intent is to reach out to all students ages 12-17 years and adults that have not been vaccinated. The centers will also offer booster shots.
A National Mass Vaccination Day will be implemented in all educational centers to reach out to those who have not yet been vaccinated for Covid-19. The date is yet to be set. Fulcar has announced public schools will reopen on 1 September with on-site teaching starting 20 September.
Education Minister Fulcar says that vaccinations are the answer to the return to normality and the overcoming of the difficulties imposed by Covid-19. “The return to classes represents a risk and an opportunity. It is a risk because open schools and open universities mobilize some 4.5 million people daily in the country,” he said.
Vice President Raquel Peña says the implementation of the vaccination plan has significantly slowed the spread of the disease significantly in all the provinces and municipalities of the country.
“The inoculation plan of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Public Health worked extremely well, as we were able to achieve this historic, rapid and safe advance in all that was the teaching and administrative staff of all schools,” said the Vice President.
She said with the start of on-site teaching, the plan is to place a vaccination station in all schools and institutions of higher education. The plan is to reach the population from 12 to 17 years old that has yet to get vaccinated, and their parents. The National Vaccination Plan calls for vaccinating those 12 to 17 years with Pfizer jabs. Those who have not received the third Pfizer dose may also get these during this vaccination drive.
In the Dominican Republic the spread of Covid-19 has been on a downward trend since July. The decline is attributed to the National Vaccination Plan. Nevertheless, in August the number of vaccinated people per day has plummeted. The government is undertaking efforts to motivate more people to get vaccinated by making it even easier to get vaccinated with plans such as the new education center vaccination stations.
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Presidency
25 August 2021