“Let us focus our efforts on the protection of those over 50 years of age”: Ministry of Health

The Director of Promotion and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Colombia, Gerson Bermont, requested to focus efforts on the protection of those over 50 years of age in the country, the most vulnerable population group against covid-19, through the National Plan of Vaccination.

This was expressed by the official during his speech at the Unified Command Post (PMU) that took place in Armenia, Quindío department, where he presented the progress of immunization in the national territory and emphasized the challenges facing the country of face to the end of the year festivities.

“A message to EPS to find people over 50 and people with autoimmune diseases that 30 days after receiving their second dose they can get their booster doseBermont noted.

In this sense, he explained that in the population group made up of over 70 years there is an advance of 97.4% in the application of the first and only doses, and 93% in second doses, however, only the 35.4% of this population has the booster dose, which has the purpose of strengthening immunization against covid-19.

In the same way, it indicated that the group between those over 50 to 69 years old has had an advance of 87.2% in the application of the first and only dose, 78.9% in the second dose and only 14 , 7% in the application of the booster dose, for which he was emphatic in asking this population and the entities to complete the scheme and request the booster dose to reinforce the immunization.

“Here is our best effort, where we save lives, where we need to run with all the strategies. Welcome that we continue to increase the first doses in children and young people, but this is where we have to focus our work ”, highlighted Bermont, making a new call to mayors, health secretaries, EPS and IPS throughout the country.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, 1,294,003 people over 50 have not started their vaccination scheme, 2,215,551 citizens of this population group have not completed their scheme and 8,262,043 people in this group, the most vulnerable according to studies , you have not received your booster dose.

On the other hand, the director of Promotion and Prevention of the Health portfolio indicated that there is a projection of receiving about 16 million doses of the vaccine against covid-19 during December, explaining the distribution of biologicals: Sinovac: from 3 to 11 years; Pfizer: pregnant women and second doses; Janssen: Population over 18 years of age and migrant population; AstraZeneca: population over 18 years of age, migrants and reinforcements and Moderna: population of 12 to 17 years of age and second doses.

“They announced a donation of 2.4 million from Pfizer, which we will have at the beginning of the year. Pfizer vaccines for children are not being considered; the only vaccine for children is Sinovac, ”Bermont concluded.

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