This content was published on 02 October 2021 – 20:33
Managua, Oct 2 (EFE) .- The Government of Nicaragua reported this Saturday that it will apply Cuban vaccines against covid-19 to children two years of age and older and adolescents up to 17 years of age, totaling 2.1 million people. , 32.3% of the total population of the Central American country.
Nicaraguan Vice President Rosario Murillo said through official media that they will begin to administer these Cuban vaccines as of October 20, when the first batch is scheduled to arrive.
“A total of 2,102,366 children and adolescents will be able to be vaccinated as of October 20” on a voluntary basis, indicated Murillo, wife of the country’s president, Daniel Ortega, who stressed that “in no way” will the injection be “mandatory.”
The dignitary explained that the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health endorsed the emergency use of the Cuban vaccines, Abdala and Soberana 02, so that three doses of each are administered.
Nicaragua thus joins other countries that already use Cuban formulas against the coronavirus, such as Iran, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Abdala, developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, showed an efficacy of 92.2% in clinical trials, and has a three-dose intramuscular administration schedule in 28 days.
While Soberana 02, a subunit conjugate vaccine that combines the virus antigen and tetanus toxoid to stimulate the immune system response, developed by the state-run Finlay Vaccine Institute, has an efficacy of 91.2% when combining two own dose and a booster dose of Soberana Plus.
THEY WILL RECEIVE ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION VACCINES
On the other hand, Murillo said they also hope to vaccinate those 18 years of age and older.
In that sense, he said that next week they will receive 1.54 million vaccines through the Covax mechanism, with which they hope to increase coverage in people 18 years of age and older.
So far the injections are only available for people 30 years of age or older.
The Government had announced that it had the goal of vaccinating 2.8 million people 30 years of age and older, out of a total of 6.5 million Nicaraguans, that is, 43.8% of the total population.
Last Thursday, it announced, however, that they will vaccinate pregnant women and children over 12 years old with chronic diseases against COVID-19, who will be inoculated with the Pfizer formula, which the country expects for next October 11.
The pandemic has left 204 deaths from covid-19 and 14,251 confirmed cases in 18 months, according to the Ministry of Health.
For its part, the network of doctors from the independent Covid-19 Citizen Observatory has reported 5,551 deaths from pneumonia and other symptoms related to the new coronavirus, as well as 29,481 suspected cases of contagion, data that are not recognized by the authorities.
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