More than one million children from five to 11 years old will be able to go to the vaccination centers to be inoculated against Covid-19 from next February 7, informed last night the Minister of Public Health, Daniel Rivera, during a press conference with the participation of the acting President, Raquel Peña.
During a meeting in the Green Room of the National Palace, the different specialized medical societies participated; it was informed that there is consensus with the specialists to start the vaccination.
The new stage of the National Vaccination Plan, in which 1,378,000 children from five to 11 years old will be inoculated, begins after evaluating all the corresponding analyses and international scientific recommendations. Peña expressed that the immunization of children is voluntary and with the informed consent of the parents.
“For us, the protection of all the Dominican people is a priority,” said the Vice President, who asked the citizens to collaborate by applying the third dose and to continue with the sanitary measures established by the health authorities to avoid the spread of the virus, such as the use of masks and hand washing.
The national executive said that they have the necessary vaccines to meet the current needs and to cover the vaccination of children and indicated that the Government has the resources needed to guarantee the antiviral drugs and hospitalizations, if necessary.
Meanwhile, Rivera indicated that during the vaccination of children, a group that has maintained a positivity rate of 11%, priority would be given to those with comorbidities.
The authorities indicated that although the number of cases increased recently, the case fatality rate remained low, and there was no overflow of hospitalizations, thanks to the protection afforded by the immunization.