70% of the Venezuelan population will be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Executive Vice-president of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, ratified this Saturday.
From the Simón Bolívar Press Room, in the Miraflores Palace, Caracas, she argued that despite the financial blockade imposed by the United States, the goal will be achieved through bilateral mechanisms and cooperation with the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Cuba.
“We are already in the process of receiving a batch of the Abdala vaccine, a very safe and effective vaccine (…) Venezuela is going to participate in the third phase of clinical trials.”
Vice-president Rodríguez highlighted that this week the vaccination began, with the Russian drug Sputnik-V, for people over 60 years of age who have more than two underlying diseases; with the aim of reducing the risks that may compromise the health of the elderly.
In December 2020, Venezuela and Russia signed an agreement for the supply of 10 million doses of the Sputnik-V vaccine, the first batch arrived in the country during the month of February, in March the arrival of a second and third shipment was known, bringing 50 thousand new doses.
Regarding the effectiveness of vaccines, the Executive Vice-president stated that “we are not going to bring any vaccine to Venezuela that is not safe and effective for our people. We will bring vaccines that guarantee the health and life of our population.”
Through the air bridge established between Venezuela and allied countries to combat COVID-19, supplies have also been received from the People’s Republic of China, highlighting 500 thousand doses of the vaccine developed by the Asian giant Sinopharm.
The Executive Vice-president also reported that Venezuela has canceled the advance of more than 50% to the COVAX mechanism, with which it is expected to have access to 11 million 374 thousand 400 doses of vaccines against respiratory infection.