QCOSTARICA – The Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) reports it has applied 24,859 doses during the first three weeks of vaccination against covid-19 throughout the country.
In a press release this Friday morning, January 15, the Caja said that amount represents 80.8% of the 30,770 doses that the CCSS has distributed so far in around 55 health centers, and with the rest expected to be applied by the end of the day.
“If the arrival of vaccines to the country continues as projected, the doses that arrive each week are distributed the following Monday as part of the continuous, safe and effective process that guarantees the product required by the units that are vaccinating, those that enter new as well as the second doses that are needed for each patient 21 days after the first application,” reported the CCSS.
Costa Rica received the first 9,750 doses of the vaccine produced by Pfizer/BioNTech on December 23, and a day later began vaccinating seniors and staff in long-term stay homes.
Read more: “Everyone get vaccinated,” said one of the first vaccinated against covid-19 in Costa Rica
The second batch of 11,750 doses was received on December 30; the third and fourth of 33,150 doses for each delivery was received on January 5 and 12, for a total of 87,750 doses against covid-19.
On Monday, January 11, vaccination was extended to hospitals outside the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM), such as Puntarenas, Limón and San Carlos.
Costa Ricans begin to receive the second dose of vaccine
On Thursday morning, January 14, the CCSS began to apply the second dose of the vaccine against covid-19.
There are 55 people who received their first injection on December 24, and who completed the 21 days between one dose and another.
Read more: 55 Costa Ricans have already received the first dose of the covid-19 vaccine
The group is made up of residents of the long-stay home PROPAM, in San Ramón de La Unión, Cartago and workers from the Specialized Center for Covid-19 Care (Ceaco), in La Uruca.
“I’m very well, thank God,” said Elizabeth Castillo, 91, who was the first Costa Rican to be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease and becomes the first in the country to be fully vaccinated.
“Do what you have to do, wash your hands, take care that other people are not going to be infected by you,” doña Elizabeth recommended.
“I feel perfectly fine, urinating a little bit more than necessary, but perfectly fine. The same thing I said before: Everyone get vaccinated!” declared Jorge from Ford Atmella, who was the second person in Costa Rica to receive the vaccine.
After the second dose, it takes 14-21 days for the body to generate the number of antibodies necessary to immune.
More vaccines on the way
Pedro González, Deputy Minister of Health, said on Wednesday that for February it is expected to receive double the vaccines that are entering in January.
“The estimate that Pfizer gave us is about 200,000 doses for February and for March about 300,000 doses, but that is in the process of reviewing with them every week to see if there are possible increases,” added Esteban Vega de la O, manager of Logistics of the CCSS.
The CCSS is currently applying the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine, receiving weekly delivery from the pharmaceutical.
Next month, the first batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine is expected to arrive in the country.
