The Secretary of the Department of Health, Carlos Mellado López, reported that, starting tomorrow, Thursday, the six vaccination centers of the National Guard will serve the elderly in an effort to increase the vaccination of the most vulnerable populations in society.
To date, 52,000 people over the age of 65 have been vaccinated out of a population estimated to fluctuate between 600 and 800,000 people.
As part of the vaccination logistics, today, prominent staff will convene the first 300 people from each of the six centers through the exchange platform contracted by Salud. Patients will be contacted randomly, taking into account age. Summoned persons must present an identity document with a photograph, passport or birth certificate validating their identity and date of birth.
“The priority is clear, as well as the instructions I gave last Monday. All health care providers who receive vaccines should only vaccinate the population over the age of 65. We need them to help us in this process, which takes time due to the amount of vaccine available and the complexity of this population. There is no doubt that we are looking for all possible tools to facilitate the process, “Mellado said.
According to the owner, they will use a database of the federal health insurance program that contains the vast majority of the population they will serve. After the four (4) weeks in which they separated to participate in the mentioned population, they will inform the steps to follow for those who were not contacted at the end of the established period. The centers will operate from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm this Thursday, February 4 to Saturday, February 6. Then the inoculation will remain from Monday to Friday at the same time.
“We have been able to join forces with other providers to receive information that supports us in quoting our older adults. I am convinced that, with this effort, we will be able to advance in the process of achieving the collective immunity that we want to achieve “, said Mellado López.
The new measures respond to the Administrative Order 2021-480 which has just been signed by the Secretary of Health. He also assured that he will guarantee the second dose to health professionals and emergency responders, who must participate on the date that appears on the vaccination card.
The six vaccination centers of the National Guard are located in Centro de Bellas de Caguas; Palace of Recreation and Sports, Mayagüez; Colosseum Rubén Rodríguez, from Bayamón; Coliseo Petaca Iguina, in Arecibo; The Fair Complex, from Ponce; and the Pedrín Zorilla Colosseum in San Juan.
The doctor reminded that the inhabitants of Vieques and Culebra were vaccinated in mid-January.
On the other hand, Mellado López indicated that the vaccination of teachers continues in the eight (8) centers; Colosseum Iguina Manuel “Petaca”, from Arecibo; Integral Mountain Health Center in Comerío; Arroyo and Guayama Family Health Center, in Arroyo; The Integral Health Council of Loíza, in Loíza and in the Fair Complex, in Ponce.