Giammattei affirms that vaccine donations “are not fallen from the sky”

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In statements to the Retalhuleu media, President Alejandro Giammattei responded to a journalist that if “you believe that donations are achieved from the sky” it is not like that, because it involves work to manage them in reference to the vaccines against Covid-19 that they have delivered several countries to Guatemala.

The president assured that a “very big” job is being done to get the immunizers and announced that they received an offer of four million vaccines from a country that he did not identify. He added that half of this donation, that is, 2 million, will arrive this year.

Giammattei affirmed after participating in a vaccination session against Covid-19 in Retalhuleu that they have vaccines and vaccinators, but that “arms” are needed, because only 38% of the population of Retalhuleu has been vaccinated.

President Alejandro Giammattei, reported in Retalhuleu that next month and in January he plans to start with the application of booster doses for front-line personnel and teachers. pic.twitter.com/M74Efjeciq

– La Hora newspaper (@lahoragt) November 6, 2021

ENSURE THAT THEY WILL APPLY REINFORCEMENT DOSE

In addition, he mentioned that the “vaccine protects and saves lives”, he even stressed that after fifteen days of having applied the first dose, immunity levels increase and that is why it is necessary to place the second.

“We are going to work on the schedules of the third dose as soon as we have reached six months after starting the vaccination, we consider with the priority groups to cover them with a third dose, with a reinforcement known as a booster so that we can make sure that people stay healthy and we can return to classes in person on February 15 ”, he said.

The President affirmed that the reinforcement would apply to teachers, front-line personnel and public hospitals, as well as private health centers.

In the case of teachers, he explained that in January they would apply the third dose, to ensure the return to face-to-face classes on February 15.

A COUNTRY WILL DONATE FOUR MILLION DOSES

One of the reporters asked about the investment in vaccines against Covid-19 and to this Giammattei replied: “You believe that donations are obtained from the sky. You know that you have to do a very big job and right now we receive it with great pleasure because when we needed it most, it was thanks to God ”.

“There is a country that is going to give us 4 million doses to be able to start putting the third dose so that we can begin to cover, because this does not end much,” he mentioned.

The country that has donated the most significant number of vaccines to Guatemala is the United States with two batches that added 4.5 million doses of Moderna.

REPRESENTATIVE SPEAKS ABOUT THE PROCEDURES TO RECEIVE DONATED VACCINES

Giammattei added that if they wanted to know how many millions have been spent on Covid-19 vaccines, they should consult the Minister of Health.

Regarding the donations, he stressed that these have been obtained through diplomatic efforts and that this will continue to be done, because it is necessary to cover all the population that they can and that, if possible, ensure a third dose for everyone six months after the second dose.

“We are going to continue managing how much vaccine we can get,” he remarked, adding that they received the offer of two million doses for this year to begin reinforcing front-line personnel, as well as teachers and another two million people.

Giammattei added that one million more vaccines will arrive to cover children between 12 and 17 years old and that they are independent of the 2.5 million that will arrive in the country through the COVAX mechanism. “With that we ensure that we vaccinate all children from 12 to 17 years old with vaccines,” he added.

ON CASE OF CORRUPTION IN INSIVUMEH

Another question they asked him was about the corruption case revealed in the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (Insivumeh) and the President only replied that they would collaborate with the Public Ministry in everything they were asked to do.

In addition, he mentioned that the Minister of Communications will also collaborate with everything they ask of him and that he hoped that what happened would be clarified.

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