Paraguay expecting 1.5 million Pfizer doses to vaccinate under 18 years-olds

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Paraguay has 1.5 million Pfizer vaccine doses purchased by the government to be delivered throughout the remainder of the year, in what it expects to be weekly shipments. Of the first 1 million batch, 500,000 have been delivered in weekly shipments since July 16.

The remaining 500,000 and the other 1 million purchased by the Government are expected to be delivered weekly throughout the remainder of the year, reported the Expanded Immunization Plan (EPI) Director Héctor Castro.

With a sufficient stock of Pfizer doses, vaccination will be available for adolescents aged 12 to 17 with no risk conditions, said Health Minister Julio Borba.

In addition to the 1.5 million Pfizer vaccines, another 3.4 million doses through the Covax mechanism are expected before the end of the year, after complaints from senior officials over the World Health Organization’s failure to comply with the mechanism.

Pfizer’s is the only vaccine authorized for emergency use in adolescents aged 12 to 17 with no risk conditions, so that once a sufficient stock is reached, this population group could be included in the vaccination campaign, Dr. Castro pointed out.

To date, adolescents aged 12 to 17 with risk conditions have been vaccinated in 2 days, known as “Day A.” Some 52,110 adolescents under 18 years of age were vaccinated on both days.