PANAMA CITY, Dec 23 (NNN-TELESUR) — Panama’s Health Ministry (Minsa) on Tuesday announced the purchase of four freezers to store the first batch of the Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Minsa informed that two of those freezers are located at the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Research (Icges), another in Divisa central region, and the fourth at the Institute of Scientific Research (INDICASAT).
Deputy Health Minister Ivette Berrio noted that 450,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine are scheduled to arrive between “the second half of January and the first half of February” next year.
The first doses will be distributed to people over 60 years of age, people with chronic diseases, and members of the National Police, the National Aeronaval Service (Senan), and the National Border Service (Senafront).
In the second stage, the vaccine will be administered to educators, members of the public transportation system, airport employees, among others.
In November, Minsa announced the purchase of 3 million vaccines from Pfizer, while 1,000,092 additional doses were secured from the British AstraZeneca.
On Tuesday, 1,699 new COVID-19 cases and 31 related deaths were reported, pushing the number of confirmed cases to 214,038 and 3,597 fatalities. Likewise, a temporary suspension on the entry of people coming from the United Kingdom and South Africa has been approved. — NNN-TELESUR
