HEALTH

Covid-19: Upcoming reception of 300,000 doses to speed up vaccination pace

ALGIERS-Director General of the Pasteur Institute of Algeria (IPA) Fawzi Derrar on Wednesday announced the upcoming acquisition of 300,000 doses of the Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" and the reception of a "larger" quota in next June in order to "speed up the vaccination pace."

"We will receive a quota of 300,000 doses of the Sputnik vaccine within the next few days, which will allow us to speed up the vaccination pace. A larger quota will be received in next June," said Derrar on the Radio Channel III programme "Invité de la Rédaction" (Guest of the editorial office).

In addition to the Russian vaccine, Derrar said that we would receive the Chinese vaccine and talks were underway with other suppliers for possible additional quotas.

On this occasion, Derrar reassured the population that the vaccination pace would increase following the reception of vaccine quotas that "could reach one million doses as from June."

"60% of the citizens registered on the website have been vaccinated," he continued.

As for the variants, he said that the British variant is "very worrying" and a source of concern because it "currently drives the epidemic" in Canada and Europe, unlike the Nigerian variant which is not considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a "variant of concern" but "variant under surveillance."