Madrid to return 200,000 doses of AstraZeneca

Madrid to return 200,000 doses of AstraZeneca

Madrid to return 200,000 doses of AstraZeneca Credit: Pixabay

Madrid is set to return around 200,000 doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine as they do not have the target population to administer it to.

At the moment in Spain the AstraZeneca vaccine can be administered to those over sixty years old, or to essential personnel. The Community of Madrid have a surplus around 200,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine but they do not have anyone left that meets the requirements. This means that they will return it to the Ministry of Health, where it can be handed out to other areas in Spain.

Enrique Ruiz Escudero, the Regional Minister of Health, has criticised the Ministry of Health for the fact that they have too many vials of the vaccine that they cannot use and not enough doses of other vaccines. He commented that they are lacking in doses of Pfizer, Janssen and Moderna, and he considers that this “is compromising the vaccination horizon” in Madrid.

The Community of Madrid have already decided to suspend initial appointments for first doses of the Pfizer vaccine for the time being. This is because they do not have sufficient doses to hand out new appointments. But according to EFE, the Regional Ministry of Health has confirmed that a “few first appointments” are still been scheduled as some stock remains of the Janssen and Moderna vaccines.

Carolina Darias, the Minister of Health has commented that: “the Communities know perfectly well the doses they are going to receive and they also know” that some of the supplies of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in early June.

“This has meant that June was exceptional and that July continues at the pace we already knew” said Darias.

The Community Madrid is thought to have in reserve around 1 million doses of the various vaccines which will be given out as second doses to those people who have already received their first vaccination.


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Alex
Written by

Alex Glenn

Originally from the UK, Alex is based in Almeria and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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