QCOSTARICA – Given that the delivery of vaccines against Covid-19 are suspended until the second half of February, the Comisión Nacional de Vacunación y Epidemiología (CNVE) – National Commission for Vaccination and Epidemiology – made a variation in the distribution of the immunization campaign.
The “reprogramming” change consists in that, as of February 15, when the restart of vaccine deliveries by Pfizer is expected, will be dedicated 80% to Group 2 and the remaining 20% to continue with Group 1.
For Group 2 – people over 58 years of age, regardless of whether or not they have any risk factors – will be vaccinated giving priority to the oldest, advancing with vaccination appointments to younger, without ruling out parallel strategies to expand vaccination opportunities for said group.
The age verification will be carried out through the national or residence card (Cedula or DIMEX).
While for Group 1, a division was made, establishing a group 1A that will be vaccinated in the first instance and a group 1B, which will be vaccinated at the end of group 1A:
Group 1A is made up of workers from:
- Hospitals, Health Areas, Clinics, Ebais, CAIS de la Caja and private hospitals that have emergency services, intensive care units and care for Covid-19 patients
- Regional or local levels of the Caja
- Regional or local levels of the Ministry of Health
- National Emergency Commission
- First responders such as Firefighters, paramedics (Red Cross) and police forces
Group 1B is made up of workers from:
- Central level of the Ministry of Health
- Central level of the Caja
- Administrative branches of the Caja
- Central level of the Ministry of Public Security
- Personnel of private health services that not contemplated in 1A and that are duly registered with the respective professional association
Roberto Arroba Tijerino, technical secretary of the CNVE, commented: “The CNVE agreed to reschedule the vaccination, in such a way that group two will begin to be vaccinated the moment the vaccine arrives, starting on February 15.”
According to CNVE vaccination program, following is the third group made up of people between 18 and 58 years old who present some risk factor such as: hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic respiratory disease, chronic kidney disease, morbid obesity, and cancer patients.
In the fourth group will be the officials of the Ministry of Public Education, as well as the private education sector and the personnel of the Comprehensive Care Centers (CAI) and shelters of the National Children’s Trust. In the same way, prisoners and workers of the 9-1-1 Emergency System are included.
The fifth and last group is made up of students of health sciences and related technicians in clinical fields of the Fund, as well as the population between 40 and 57 years old who do not have other of the risks previously described, but who carry out work activities related to contact with people or impact on the productive sector such as agriculture, construction, customer service, restaurants, domestic workers, among others.
