On Friday, Peru's Ministry of Health (Minsa) announced that the administration of the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccines would begin next April 2 for the population aged over 70 and/or with weakened immune systems residing in Lima and Callao.
Alexis Holguin, Minsa's Public Health Strategic Interventions Director-General said that fourth dose shoots would come into force from April 4 or 5 in other Peruvian regions for this age group alongside health personnel.
The Director told that for the administration of the fourth dose, the third must have been administrated over 5 months ago to be inoculated with the latest dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Holguin said that those adults over 70 years of age in the region of Lima and Callao would have access to any vaccination center to be administrated the fourth dose of the program from April 2, as long as they were vaccinated with the third dose five months ago.
URGENTE: As of April 4, vaccination of the fourth dose will begin throughout Peru
The Ministry of Health announced that the dose application against COVID-19 will begin. Find out what vaccinations you will have.
The protocol approved by Minsa will employ vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna laboratories to administrate the fourth dose in this group of people as studies have provided evidence that demonstrates that they are safe and effective.
"Because of the timeline, we already have to vaccinate (with the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine) older adults," he added after explaining that Peru has a large batch of doses of the Moderna vaccine, which has just arrived in Peru and that they have a long shelf life.