Governor Pedro Pierluisi reiterated that students must be vaccinated against covid-19 in order to go to school. This, at a time when vaccination for minors between 5 to 11 years of age is quickly approaching.
To questions from the press today, Monday, the governor explained that he will not activate the National Guard to vaccinate this group, as with previous vaccinations. The National Guard was in the public eye after it was known that in some vaccination centers, they administered the vaccine to minors when this had not yet been authorized.
“The National Guard was was used at the beginning phase. Gradually and quickly this process was decentralized and one of the causes is that a thousand providers were used throughout Puerto Rico and the vaccination was given in medical facilities in pharmacies and in multiple establishments in addition to the use of non-profit entities ”, said the chief executive.
When the Pfizer vaccine became available to those under 16, the Secretary of Health, Carlos Mellado, issued an administrative order stating that the covid-19 vaccine would be mandatory for groups authorized to receive it.
The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already authorized the use of Pfizer’s vaccine for minors between 5 and 11 years of age. It was already authorized from the age of 12 onwards.
“All students between the ages of 5 and 11 must be vaccinated if they wish to obtain a face-to-face education. That is going to be the guideline and I am sure that the Department of Health, with his team, will arrange this so that it can be achieved, ”said the governor. “The secretary said that in mid-January they should all be vaccinated and the work plan is clear. It’s going to be two doses because the wrapped vaccine is Pfizer and I know they are going to make it. We have taught in this area. In the area of vaccination we are the best ”.
