The Government will donate almost 1 million vaccines against COVID-19 to Mozambique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Vietnam and Dominica

The Government will donate about a million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines against COVID-19 to five countries in different parts of the world: Mozambique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Vietnam and Dominica.

President Alberto Fernandez authorized the measure with his signature in five decrees published this Thursday in the Official bulletin.

Indeed, through the Decrees 765, 766, 767, 768 and 769/2021, the national Executive Power approved “The free donation” of 981,000 doses of “the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 vaccine, known as AZD1222, from ASTRAZENECA UK LIMITED, intended to generate acquired immunity against COVID-19”.

They will be distributed as follows: 11,000 to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, 18,000 to Saint Lucia, 500,000 to Vietnam, 2,000 to Dominica, and 450,000 to Mozambique.

The donated doses are part of those acquired months ago by Argentina through the sale contract entered into with AstraZeneca UK Limited.

The Government justified the measure by referring to the fact that As of November 1, 75% of the population has had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 56.5% have the complete vaccination schedule. What’s more makes explicit that in our country “registers a steady decline in the number of coronavirus cases for 20 weeks due to the advance of vaccination and the maintenance of care measures ”.

“The pandemic constitutes a global challenge that requires a solidarity strategy aimed at equitable access to vaccines designed to generate immunity against the coronavirus,” added in the documents and mentioned the cases of United States, Canada, Mexico and Spain that donated 7,063,400 vaccines to Argentina, “At a time when access to them was more difficult than at present.”

“This favored Argentina to advance with the vaccination campaign, which accelerated the complete scheme for the population at greatest risk and fostered the current epidemiological scenario,” it was explained.

The Executive Branch added that it considers that “joint efforts among nations are substantial to limit the economic and health effects caused by the pandemic.” In this framework of understanding, “Guided by the principles of solidarity and fraternity”, the Government “deems it convenient to promote equitable and timely access to vaccines.”

As reported by Directorate of Control of Immunopreventable Diseases, the Ministry of Health “It has sufficient stock” to make donations to the 5 countries mentioned “without affecting the objectives” of the Vaccination Plan.

According to the latest data update of the Public MonitorFrom the beginning of the immunization campaign, 77,077,105 doses were distributed throughout the national territory, of which 62,724,987 were applied. Of that universe there are 35,420,449 people who received a dose and 26,982,182 who completed the scheme. In addition, 322,356 received an additional dose.

The Ministry of Health was designated as the “executing agency” of the Donation Contract, “which will be empowered to carry out the necessary acts for its correct implementation”. Therefore, Carla Vizzotti was empowered to “sign, on behalf and on behalf of” Argentina, said contract and “to agree and sign modifications to it.”

Meanwhile, the sanitary portfolio was exempted from the payment of export duties. The decrees were also signed by the Chief of Staff Juan Manzur, Vizzotti and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Santiago Cafiero.

With regard to the epidemiological situation of the country, in the last 24 hours there were 19 deaths and 1,567 new coronavirus infections. With these data, Argentina accumulates a total of 5,300,985 positive cases since the beginning of the pandemic. While, deaths were 116,184.

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