BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Argentina offered Sputnik V vaccinated people who want to travel abroad a fourth dose of another brand following the World Health Organization's announcement of postponing approval of the Russian inoculant due to the invasion of Ukraine.
The South American country was the first in Latin America to approve Sputnik V at the end of 2020 and purchased a total of 14.6 million doses in almost two years. At the beginning of the vaccination campaign, it was the only inoculant applied until Alberto Fernández's government closed contracts with more laboratories.
The United States and several European countries only allow entry to travelers immunized with WHO-approved vaccines, such as Pfizer, Moderna, Astra Zeneca and Janssen.
“We are endorsing the fourth dose in people who need to travel by presenting, of course, the passage, whether for personal, family, humanitarian, work, study, religious or recreational reasons,” announced the Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti, in statements to radio Con Vos. “Since we have a stock of vaccines, we are enabling the WHO enabled dose.”
The World Health Organization announced on Wednesday that it will postpone its evaluation of the Russian coronavirus vaccine due to “the unstable situation”, alluding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
A mission of the agency was scheduled to visit the Gamaleya National Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, responsible for developing the Russian vaccine, on 7 March. “These inspections have been postponed to a later date,” said Dr. Mariangela Simao, WHO's vaccine expert. “The assessment and inspections have been affected by the situation,” he added, explaining that the delegation has had problems booking flights and using credit cards, “and other operational issues” within the framework of the sanctions applied against Russia.
Opponents and experts criticized Fernández's government for acquiring Sputnik V despite not being approved by WHO. Although its effectiveness was not questioned, one of the most controversial aspects has been the difficulty that many Argentines have had in traveling to countries that require health passports with vaccines endorsed by the international organization.
“This is an inconvenience that is not sanitary. It is a decision by countries on a vaccine that has proven efficacy and safety. People are not to blame,” Vizzotti admitted.
The South American country is already applying the fourth dose of the vaccine for people over 50 years of age vaccinated with Sinopharm and people over 3 years of age who are immunosuppressed.
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