Least accepted vaccine is that of AstraZeneca

Older adults go for the third dose.

Santo Domingo, DR

The AstraZeneca vaccines, of which less than one million doses have arrived in the country, out of the 10 million contracted by the Government, are among the least demanded by the people who go to be inoculated against the coronavirus for the first time in the authorized vaccination centers.

Although these vaccines are administered daily to those who go for the second dose since they must be from the same laboratory, this was evidenced in several National District vaccination centers, especially among young people.

The first batches of vaccines that arrived en masse to the country are from Sinovac, with a total to date of approximately 13,700, being this the most applied to the citizens, then AstraZeneca with 920 thousand doses, mostly destined for health personnel, and Pfizer, which began with its first batches last June, and as of yesterday with the arrival of 503 thousand more, it is approaching three million of the 10 million that were contracted by the authorities with the North American pharmaceutical company.

Official statistics on how many vaccines have been applied by the pharmaceutical company and the ages of those inoculated are not available.

The Pfizer vaccines are the most requested, with them are being inoculated for those who have already had a first dose, adolescents from 12 to 17 years of age, those who are being boosted with a third dose.

They are also the ones most prescribed by doctors to pregnant women, lately, because at first, it was Sinovac that was indicated, said one of the staff working at the Olympic Center.

“Between Sinovac and AstraZeneca, those who come for the first time prefer AstraZeneca because so far it does not require a booster, but in reality this population that is getting the first dose, first asks for Pfizer and there are those who say give me whatever it is,” said an employee who asked for her name to be withheld at another center.

In the vaccination center that operates at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, those who come most often go for the third dose or booster; they have Sinovac, AstraZeneca, and Pfizer available, but the last one is the most requested. From AstraZeneca, young people over 20 years of age go for the second dose, and “very rarely those who come to get the first dose to ask for it, just like Sinovac, which is being administered to those who have the second dose pending from the same pharmaceutical company.

Seniors go for the third dose.
In the vaccination center in the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, those who go for a third dose are primarily people over 50 and 60 years old, as in the UASD.

Others of those ages are starting the process with a first dose and go for a second dose.

The case of Mr. Antonio Beltré, who is a car washer and came with a family member to be inoculated with the second dose of Sinovac, “because on television they are always telling them to get it, to get it, because if not, they will not be able to buy or move.” Adolescent athletes and students come with coaches and their parents.

Those who practice different disciplines at the Olympic Center take advantage and get their vaccinations, accompanied by their coaches or guardians in the case of minors.

“Here came a ball league with about 400 adolescents who got the first dose of Pfizer and some got the second, and those over 18 got the third dose,” said one of those who work at the center.

TESTIMONIALS
Preferences
Anthony will enroll in college, and since it is a requirement to be inoculated against covid, he went for his first dose. He claimed he had not done so before because he contracted the virus and for other reasons. He preferred Pfizer.

Ismael Rosario, 20 years old, went for his second vaccine, as did Reyes Perez, 25 years old, who went for his second dose of AstraZeneca. Like Samuel de la Cruz, a network engineer and student from Garcia Antigua, they went together to get inoculated with the second dose of AstraZeneca to protect themselves from the virus. When the positivity of coronavirus has dropped to 8.21% and hospitalizations to 20%, specialists call for inoculation to return to normality and avoid deaths.