President of Ecuador, Lenin Moreno, announces that the COVID-19 vaccine would be in January 2021

Nine million people are expected to access the vaccine.

“We will have the possibility to vaccinate the first month of next year,” announced President Lenín Moreno this Monday, November 23, 2020. He said that the country would be able to vaccinate 30.000 people a day.

In his radio program “In front of the President”, the Ecuadorian president announced that, once an effective and safe vaccine against COVID-19 is available, in the first instance, it is expected that nine million people will access the medical supply .

The president explained that scientific research is what will determine a suitable vaccine to combat this virus. Therefore, he said, the Ministry of Health has maintained contact with pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Aztrazeneca, Covax Facility, Johnson & Johnson, Novax and Moderna, companies that are advancing in this process.

The Minister of Health, Juan Carlos Zevallos, emphasized that all Ecuadorians who need the respective dose will receive it. Among the factors within the process to acquire the vaccine, Zevallos pointed out that the efficacy must be verified – with all the regulations – to expect the desired effect, such as the creation of antibodies against the virus.

He reported that there are approximately 30% of people who have had the disease: between 22% and 23% in Quito; 33% in Guayaquil; 24% in Manabí and 45% in Esmeraldas.

“On average, one out of every three adults in the country has already been infected,” said Zevallos, mentioning that, so far, it is not known if they need the vaccine. “It is likely that they do not need it,” added the minister, specifying that the vaccination process will take six to nine months.

According to the Secretary of Communication, Caridad Vela, said that, so far, the country has invested more than USD 219 million in health. Of this amount, USD 13.09 million in medicines, USD 54.1 million in equipment and USD 16.8 million in training of human talent.

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