COVID-19 vaccination in Argentina

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Argentina
Date29 December 2020 (2020-12-29) – present
LocationArgentina
CauseCOVID-19 pandemic in Argentina
TargetImmunisation of Argentines against COVID-19

The COVID-19 vaccination program in Argentina is an ongoing effort of mass immunization. Vaccination against COVID-19 began in Argentina on 29 December 2020 aiming at health professionals. Argentina struck a deal with the United Kingdom in November 2020 for a British made vaccine produced by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. The vaccines are part of a deal where Argentina received 22.4 million doses.[1] During the first week, 39,599 doses were applied to health professionals.[2]

On 18 February 2021, vaccination on citizens aged over 70 began in the Province of Buenos Aires. Schools, among other sites, were used as temporary vaccination centres.[3]

Background

Argentinian president Alberto Fernández receiving the Sputnik V vaccine on 21 January 2021.

During the first days of November, the government announced that will acquire during December 2020 and January 2021, 25 million of doses from the Russian vaccine Sputnik V after it would enter phase III.[4][5][6] Other vaccines such as the developed by University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and China were also announced to be acquired eventually.[7]

On 22 December the flight that would bring the first doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to the country left for Moscow,[8] after negotiations began in early December.[9] 300,000 doses arrived on 24 December,[10] with the vaccination campaign beginning on 29 December.[11] The governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof, was among the first to receive the vaccine.[12] One day later, the AZD1222 vaccine developed by University of Oxford and AstraZeneca was also approved in the country.[13]

On 29 May 2021, health minister Carla Vizzotti met with Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel to discuss the possibility of distribution of the still unapproved Cuban-made vaccine SOBERANA 02.[14][15]

On July 17, 2021, 3.5 million doses of Moderna vaccines arrived at Argentina as part of donation from the United States.[16] Before that, on July 9, 2021, Argentina announced that it had procured 20 million doses from Moderna on its supply deal.[17]

The European Investment Bank is collaborating with the Argentinian government to provide the country with $100 million to assist in the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccinations and to deploy vaccination campaigns.[18]

Vaccines on order

Vaccine Approval Deployment
Pfizer–BioNTech Yes Yes
Oxford–AstraZeneca Yes Yes
Sputnik V Yes Yes
Sinopharm BIBP Yes Yes
Moderna Yes Yes
Bharat Biotech Yes No
CanSino Yes[19] No

Vaccines in trial stage

Vaccine Type (technology) Phase I Phase II Phase III
CureVac RNA Completed Completed In progress
ReiThera Viral vector Completed Completed In progress

References

  1. ^ "Covid-19 vaccinations begin in provinces across country". Buenos Aires Times (Perfil). 29 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Ya se aplicaron 39.599 dosis de la vacuna contra COVID-19 al personal de salud" [39,599 doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 were applied to health professionals] (in Spanish). Ministry of Health. 6 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Buenos Aires Province begins vaccinating those aged 70+". Buenos Aires Times (Perfil). 18 February 2021.
  4. ^ Boadle, Anthony; Raszewski, Eliana; Garrison, Cassandra (2 November 2020). "Argentina expects 10 million doses of Russian COVID-19 vaccine". Reuters. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Argentina agrees to buy 25 million doses of Russia's Covid-19 vaccine". Buenos Aires Times (Perfil). 3 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Salud confirmó que adquirirá 25 millones de dosis de la vacuna rusa si pasa la fase 3" (in Spanish). Télam. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  7. ^ Heath, Maximilian (6 November 2020). "Argentina 'could receive' 750,000 doses of eventual Pfizer vaccine: Fernandez". Reuters. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Parte hacia Moscú el vuelo que traerá al país las primeras dosis de la Sputnik V" (in Spanish). Télam. 22 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Government inks deal for 10 million doses of Russia's Covid-19 vaccine". Buenos Aires Times (Perfil). 12 December 2020.
  10. ^ Otaola, Jorge; Sherwood, Dave (26 December 2020). "Argentina to launch COVID-19 vaccination campaign on Tuesday". Reuters.
  11. ^ Misculin, Nicolás; Sherwood, Dave (29 December 2020). "Argentina begins COVID vaccination drive with Russia's Sputnik V". Reuters.
  12. ^ "Kicillof among first to receive Russian vaccine in Argentina". Buenos Aires Times (Perfil). 29 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Argentina approves AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid vaccine". Buenos Aires Times (Perfil). 30 December 2020.
  14. ^ "Vacunas cubanas: Díaz-Canel recibió a Carla Vizzotti" [Cuban vaccines: Díaz-Canel received Carla Vizzotti]. Página 12 (in Spanish). 29 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Carla Vizzotti se reunió en Cuba con el presidente Díaz-Canel" [Carla Vizzotti met in Cuba with President Díaz-Canel]. La Voz (in Spanish). Télam. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  16. ^ "United States donates 3.5 million Moderna vaccines to Argentina". Buenos Aires Times. July 17, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-07-17. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  17. ^ "Argentina announces COVID-19 vaccine supply deal with Moderna". Reuters. July 9, 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-07-08. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  18. ^ Bank, European Investment (2022-03-03). EIB Group activity in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2021. European Investment Bank.
  19. ^ "Argentina issues emergency approval to China's single-dose Cansino COVID-19 vaccine". Reuters. 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2021-06-11.