Starting next week, the Department of Health and support entities could begin immunizing new groups of people, especially if the use of the vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson is approved, the agency’s secretary-general, Carlos Jagged, said.
As soon as the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorizes the use of this vaccine, Puerto Rico must receive 28,000 doses that would be used to begin the new vaccination phase, Mellado confirmed at a news conference. On Friday, a group of US health advisers approved the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine.
The government continues to vaccinate adults over the age of 65, as well as teachers and first responders. The new vaccine is expected to be received starting next week and the third phase will open, which could include people over the age of 55, people with comorbid diseases and workers in the food industry and supermarkets.
It should be recalled that the sector of the sale of unprepared food has never closed since the state of emergency was declared due to the pandemic and prepared food places – which have undergone adjustments in operating hours and the way they provide services – have not been included. in the first stage of vaccination.
To enter the new phase, the designated secretary explained that he will have to change the administrative order ordering the vaccination of those over 65 with priority.
Health informed the centers that they will vaccinate people who have made an appointment in the coming days. The agency coordinates with Voces, the College of Engineers and Rotary Clubs. For example, people who have appointments in the cities of San Sebastián, Arecibo, Manati, Isabela, Mayagüez, Fajardo, San Juan and Bayamón, among others, will be vaccinated today.
Unlike Pfizer and Moderna vaccines – which require low-temperature freezing and two doses per person – Johnson & Johnson vaccine does not require extreme refrigeration and is given in a single dose.
“A single dose allows us to do massive vaccinations. We can locate these 28,000 vaccines in different centers and now we define the population we are going to vaccinate “, said Mellado. “We would go to another phase with this vaccine and what we would have is probably more time a day, so that more people could be vaccinated and get that access,” he said.
He added that the strategy of vaccinating those aged 65 and over with Pfizer and Moderna and probably moving to another phase with patients with comorbid diseases, such as sclerosis, among others, is continuing.
He said they did not indicate whether after receiving this first shipment of 28,000 doses – once the vaccine got the green light from the FDA – the Island would continue to receive the same amount of medicine weekly, as happened with Pfizer and Moderna.
The single dose
Dr. Iris Cardona, who leads the Department of Health’s Vaccination Program, explained that Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine uses a different technology from Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and assured that it has been shown to be effective, especially in avoiding severe hospitalization. and death due to covid-19.
“The Janssen vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) offers the same instructions as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, but what it does is use an attenuated virus as a vector that has instructions for coding. It will not cause infections. It is an adenovirus of the cold-causing virus families, “he said. it’s very similar, but the technology is different, “he said.
This vaccine, he stressed, is 72% effective in preventing moderate or severe disease in covid-19 symptoms and 80% effective in preventing severe disease or death. In the study, he added, no hospitalizations or deaths were reported.
Lilliam Rodríguez, the founder of Voces, said that in the coalition “we put the resources to be able to help the vaccination be as fast as possible”. He also pointed out that “covid-19 has come to remind us of the importance of vaccination, the importance of keeping a contagious disease that paralyzes the whole world under control.”
They send the case
Mellado reiterated that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will investigate the vaccine incident at the Walgreens pharmacy chain in Morovis.
“Walgreens Pharmacy has been our ally, but it is our responsibility to manage our covid-19 vaccine. The health department did what it had to do. The investigation was carried out within 24 hours and we send it to the CDC because the pharmacy has a direct contract with the CDC and refers so that it can investigate it “, the official explained during the press conference held yesterday.
He said that in his opinion, the treatment by the pharmacy was not adequate.
“Certainly the management was not adequate and therefore the subdivision that accredits the health services facilities will investigate it. They (Walgreens) have a direct contract with the CDC and will determine how to handle it. From the point of view of health, it is clear that there has been a mismanagement and that is why we refer to it, “he said.
Lynnette Teissonniere, a spokeswoman for the Walgreens pharmacy chain, said she had not received the health report or referral.
“We will not react because we do not have the referral or something from the Department of Health. As soon as the information is received, we will be able to find out, “he said.
In statements sent after the incident, Eileen Ortega, Walgreens’ director of operations, said that while transporting Moderna vaccines to a long-term care center in Morovis, a chiller “that was not well secured fell”. from the vehicle ”.
“We are very grateful to the person who found the cooler and alerted the local police,” he said at the time. “We will investigate the matter and review our procedures with the team so that this does not happen again,” he added.