Public Health Minister Daniel Rivera says that the vaccination centers will be open every day during Easter Week so people can get their second dose on the date scheduled on their vaccination card. He says everyone should check their vaccination card for their due date and “preferably” go to the same center. If for some reason this center is not operating, the vaccination can be received at any other vaccination center.
The second dose vaccination to the general public begins on 24 March with the first 900 persons scheduled to receive their second dose. The number of vaccinated with the second dose will gradually escalate to reach the peak of 85,000 in one day.
Medics and staff at Covid-19 habilitated centers were the first to be vaccinated starting 16 February 2021. These for the most part received the Oxford-AstraZeneca/Covishield vaccine that was imported from the Serum Institute of India. Most in the DR would later receive the Chinese Sinovac/Coronavac vaccine that arrived weeks later on a special flight from China. Another special flight from China delivered a million vaccines for the second dose.
The India-made and Chinese-made vaccines were contracted because the pharmaceutical companies manufacturers UK Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer and the Covax Facility (WHO) have yet to deliver.
Public Health Minister Rivera says that around 800,000 persons have already been vaccinated in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican government has it is working so all adults are vaccinated this year.
The country is in Phase I that covers the medical staff, those 60+, military and teachers, for an estimated 1.5 million people. The plan will continue with Phase II that is those 50 to 59 and then with Phase III, those 18 to 49 years.
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N Digital
Listin Diario
24 March 2021