The COVID-19 vaccination process in Puerto Rico has been plagued with gaps

Beginning Tuesday, January 5, the administration of the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Puerto Rico will begin for health professionals who received the dose of Pfizer in the week beginning December 14.

And, in light of the uproar of people who have gathered in recent days on the grounds of the Pedrín Zorrilla coliseito, in San Juan – who took turns even the night before – many fear that the same experience will repeat itself when it is time to apply the second dose.

Two weeks after the arrival of this vaccine in Puerto Rico, there are still gaps in this process. The health department ensures that its responsibility is limited to requesting, receiving, and distributing the product, and that each facility that manages it will ensure its application.

Next week, the second phase of vaccination for professionals working in hospital settings will begin, and those vaccinated in the San Juan Regional Center will have it in mid-January.

“Each facility does its logistics,” said Secretary of Health, Iris Cardona, yesterday.

The National Guard, responsible for the establishment and operation of the regional vaccination centers, has not even managed to coordinate a scheduling system for the administration of the vaccine, as it had promised to cut the long lines a few days ago. avoid that have formed in the coliseite. Pedrín Zorrilla.

“Not yet (it will be by appointment),” said Luis Orengo, of the National Guard’s Public Affairs Office, who assured that a system of previous appointments is being coordinated with the College of Surgeons.

Today, Wednesday, the second regional vaccination center of the National Guard opens its doors, in the Centro de Bellas Artes de Caguas, and will take care of health workers from that region who will meet there in order of arrival, such as in the Pedrín Zorrilla, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

The goal of the National Guard is to open a total of 11 vaccination centers by mid-January. The following are in Ponce, Arecibo, Mayagüez, Humacao, Fajardo, Aguadilla, Bayamón, Barranquitas and Guayama. As of yesterday, about 4,400 health workers had been vaccinated at the San Juan Regional Center, the military agency said.

Cardona noted that the conglomerate of health workers that have made long lines at Pedrín Zorrilla in their eagerness to be vaccinated should decline as the vaccine becomes available in more places. The Secretary of Health said that starting this week, vaccines will be available in multiple health facilities, including hospitals, primary health centers, diagnosis and treatment centers and primary medical groups.

“Rather, the problem was access,” said Cardona, who also lamented that in the early days of the opening of the Pedrín Zorrilla center, many had requested vaccination, while it was not their turn at this stage in the process. This phase is exclusive to health professionals.

Cardona also recalled that approximately 100,000 vaccines were initially expected and 30,000 were received.

Phase 1-A also involves residents and employees of long-term care homes and intellectual disability centers, who are expected to be vaccinated from next week.

More than 35,000 people have already been vaccinated against COVID-19 on the island, according to Cardona. He said 11 adverse events had been reported yesterday, four of which required medical attention, but none were serious.

“Guaranteed” dose

Regarding the second dose, the official noted that it is “guaranteed” to anyone who has already received the first. These people, he said, had to go to the same place where they had been vaccinated. The second dose from those who received the Pfizer vaccine will start on January 5, while the second from Moderna is from January 19.

Although (the second dose) is believed to be given from 21 days (Pfizer days) and 28 days (Moderna), there is a grace period of a few days before or after, although the recommendation is that the person do it as soon as possible. possible (until the date indicated) ”, he said.

The civil servant acknowledged that appointments and previous services, such as in hospitals, make the process more transparent.

‘I think we’re starting to understand the process. We didn’t think everyone would get vaccinated, ”he said.

Phase 1-A is expected to last four to six weeks and Phase 1-B, for non-congregational seniors and certain frontline workers, eight to 10 weeks.

“The logistics were not the best. There was technology to do it in an orderly way, that they now go with a number (get vaccinated), ”said Dr. Jorge Santana.

The infectologist, who was vaccinated according to a structured process for employees of the Medical Center, regretted that health workers and workers in this industry had to stand in long lines outside Pedrín Zorrilla to be vaccinated.

While he noted that he hopes that with the opening of other vaccination centers the process will go more smoothly, he pointed out that there is still a lot to be vaccinated to achieve the desired 70% coverage. This equates to 1,890,000 people, as the vaccine is approved for people aged 16 and older.

The president of the College of Surgeons, Víctor Ramos, agreed with Cardona that the process should be easier and that more places should be vaccinated. The College, he said, will vaccinate today, Wednesday, at the Mario Quijote Morales Coliseum, in Guaynabo, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medical technologists, paramedics and respiratory therapists. It will also vaccinate health workers and office workers on Saturdays, in Cabo Rojo and Barceloneta, while it will do on Sundays in Aibonito and Patillas.

“Although there will be more vaccinations, there will be fewer ‘problems’,” he concluded, noting that he is working with the National Guard on an appointment platform for regional vaccination centers.