Hernán Condori confirms expiration of AstraZeneca vaccines: “8 thousand 580 doses expired”

The Minister of Health, Hernán Condori, spoke on the vaccines against COVID-19 that have expired and those that would be ready to expire. Thus, he pointed out that it is false that there are 6 million doses of vaccines from the Sinopharm laboratory with a close expiration date; but he did confirm that 8,580 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines have expired.

“Peru received 1.6 million doses that expired on February 28. Of that million 600 doses, 8,580 doses have expired, but a million as they say, not that”, he clarified.

“It is false that there are 6 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines to be expired. We have less than 5 and a half million doses that will expire between October 2022 and October 2023,” the minister added at the press conference on March 24, following the Council of Ministers.

In addition, Condori indicated that 2.4 million doses of Astrazeneca arrived on December 22 and 23, 2021, which will expire on March 31. Of that number there are still 1 million drugs left and they are being applied daily in the population that mainly goes to administer their booster dose. On the other hand, another batch of 3 million doses from the same laboratory arrived on March 1 and 3 and will expire on April 30.

“For almost the entire pandemic, lots with expiration dates close to two months or two and a half months have been received,” he explained.

On the other hand, Condori reported that since the end of January until now, 16 cases of the BA2 covid variant have been detected in Peru and that “it is being controlled”.

JUSTIFIES SLOWDOWN IN VACCINATION IN WHICH THE POPULATION IS LESS AFRAID OF THE VIRUS

On March 22, Condori spoke out about the worrying decline in the application of COVID-19 vaccines in Peru. He justified the situation by stating that before it was very easy to vaccinate the population because “there were a large number of deaths, people came and vaccinations were 24 hours and they stood in line”.

“Now since you don't see that... A little bit is also on our side as citizens. As a minister, I am in charge of getting vaccines, 780 thousand doses, I take care of the payment of the staff; but I ask the population to go to the centers of vaccination, let's complete our doses so that tomorrow later we can remove our masks and be hugged all family and friends. Here the struggle belongs to everyone, the authorities and the community”, emphasized the head of Minsa.

On the expiration of vaccines, he questioned the former ministers because “the contracts they have made are practically with an expiration of vaccines from two months to two and a half months. The batches have come with that maturity. What did they do? ”.

He pointed out that throughout the pandemic we have had doses to expire, but vaccinations are still being vaccinated. And he justified himself by ensuring that this problem is also repeated worldwide, where there are doses to be overcome, and that is nothing hidden.

Similarly, during his visit to Cusco on March 21, the minsa head also responded to questions about the slow pace of vaccination.

“You always ask me the same thing. Ask about the health issue, the organization hasn't gone down at all. The vaccination process has not slowed down, we are talking at the national level, we are daily vaccinating from house to house in a more rigorous way,” said the questioned minister.

He also made clear the government's position on the stance to combat COVID-19, especially in the face of the eminent possibility of facing a fourth wave of infections.