People over 60 years of age already receive booster doses against COVID-19 after five months of second injection

The application of booster dose for the people over 60 years began this Wednesday, December 22, after the announcement made by government authorities that it was shortened from six months to five months its administration.

From October it is applied in Ecuador booster dose to health personnel and to older adults (65 years or older). Those who have immunosuppressive conditions have also been included.

The Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, He had said that they were going to put the booster doses to the general population as of January 1, 2022; however, due to the presence of the omicron variant, they were going to do so from December 1. The condition was six months after your second dose.

But the time interval for giving the booster dose was shortened for adults over 60, because are the population most at risk, the Ministry of Health had indicated.

This group already began to receive the third vaccine by the fifth month of the second dose, while for the people between 18 and 59 years old the waiting period of six months.

At the vaccination point that is located in the Metropolitan Sports Center, in the north of Quito, came Antonio Gaibor, 61, Whose booster dose was due on January 16, 2022.

He pointed out that there is a little more security before omicron variant, which would be more contagious.

“You have to foresee (…), I want to pay attention to what the Health authorities have, “he said after receiving the third injection.

With his family, who compose it ten people, will meet for the December festivities.

From December 23, it will be mandatory to present the vaccination card or certificate to enter public places, by provision of the national COE

Ramón Andrade, 63 years old, he also went to receive the third injection. He mentioned that he was going to touch in january, but since they brought it forward to five months, he went to that point of inoculation since it was close to his home.

“It is a health issue and not only mine or my family, but the rest, because if one does not get vaccinated, one is a kind of virus reservoir to infect the rest and if we don’t work, we won’t all get out of it, “he said.

His first two doses were Sinovac without presenting reactions. For this occasion he was to be injected with AstraZeneca.

Gabriela Meza, district director Northern Health Ministry of Public Health (MSP), who is in charge of 56 health establishments in Quito, pointed out that the booster dose helps to strengthen individual protection.

According to Meza, the booster vaccine is AstraZeneca, while for people over 12 years old with immunosuppressive diseases moderate to severe, the booster dose will be from 28 days after the second dose using the same vaccine as the primary schedule.

A Mercy Sempértegui, 60 years old, it was six months after his second dose. He had slight muscle pain in his arm with the first two injections. “I value my life (…), so I have to take care of myself ”, he mentioned after taking the third dose.

She, like other people, had arrived before 08:00 and they entered the place to sit on chairs that had been arranged in one of the rooms. In front of the citizens there was vaccination brigades who called them as the day progressed.

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Meza indicated that days that are holidays immunization points are enabled, but he asked the population to be aware and to be informed; a new vaccination would not be carried out like those that were made in previous weekends.

According to Meza, even though in the province of Pichincha and in the city of Quito Vaccination levels exceeding 90% have been achieved, in the age groups of 5 to 11 years, 12 to 17 years and 18 to 49 years, there are people who are still pending completion of the two-dose schedule.