The government reports that it has enough vaccines to immunize children

Santo Domingo, DR
Vice President Raquel Peña announced yesterday that the Government has enough anticovid vaccines for all citizens, including children, which will begin to be inoculated from February 7, and the necessary medicines to counteract the disease to patients who need them.

“We want to bring, through the government, hope, and tranquility, hope is brought through the work we have been doing, guaranteeing security and health to all the Dominican people and we encourage them to continue getting vaccinated and now with the children as well, so that in this way we are all protected,” said the vice president.

While the Minister of the Presidency, Lisandro Macarrulla, said that “we live in very turbulent times worldwide, but Dominicans have overcome adversity. Together, hand in hand, we went through a pandemic and with it a crisis that we managed to overcome, even with its small aftermath, hoping that we can continue united with the faith and goodwill of all.”

During the offering to the patroness of the Dominicans, attended by thousands of faithful followers of the Virgin, the authorities prayed for health, for the end of the pandemic, as well as for the protection of all citizens in the hope that it will be a productive and peaceful year for all.

During the homily, Monsignor Jesús Castro Marte prayed to God and the Virgin to eradicate the pandemic, emphasizing that the current authorities have faced the crisis with courage and an irrefutable organization. He also valued the results obtained due to the excellent management that the Government has had to face the health crisis of the COVID-19.

The governor of La Altagracia, Martina Pepén Santana, the province senator, Virgilio Cedano, the Minister of Public Works, Deligne Ascensión, among others, were in the line of honor during the Eucharist.

Vaccination for children
Last Thursday, the Government announced the vaccination for children from five years of age starting next February 7.

According to the information, 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 attended by the acting President, Raquel Peña.

During a meeting in the Green Room of the National Palace, the different specialized medical societies participated. As a result, 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.

On the occasion, Peña expressed that the vaccination 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 anti-viral drugs and hospitalizations, if necessary.

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 cases increased recently, the case fatality rate remained low. In addition, there was no overflow of hospitalizations, thanks to the protection afforded by the immunization.

6,363 NEW CASES
Five deaths
Yesterday, the Ministry of Public Health reported 6,363 new cases of coronavirus and five deaths, one of which occurred in the last 24 hours.

Epidemiological bulletin number 673 indicates that out of 29,810 samples processed, 6,363 were positive, for a daily positivity of 38.43% and 30.74% in the last four weeks. The total number of registered cases is 530,998, of which 34,465 are active, and deaths total 4,279.

Hospitalizations
The system has 821 patients hospitalized by Covid in standard wards, for 36%. In Intensive Care Units, it has 219 for 37% and 152 are connected to ventilators.