Alex Trelinski
SPAIN’S Health Minister, Salvador Illa, has predicted that the majority of the country will have received coronavirus vaccines from companies like Pfizer by next May.
The breakthrough to find a vaccine was announced by Pfizer yesterday morning(September 9).
Interviewed by broadcaster, TVE, Illa said that 20 million doses of the 90 per cent effective Pfizer vaccine, will be purchased by the Spanish government.
Salvador Illa said: “Either this week or next, we will sign a contract which means that the first batch of 20 million doses will arrive in early 2021.”
Two doses of the vaccine are needed so 10 million people can be treated in the first wave of inoculations.
The vaccine will be distributed free of charge via Spain’s National Health System.
Asked about who will get it first, Salvador Illa said:
“We are going to be guided by what the experts say. The logical and normal thing is to start with the most vulnerable groups, as well as people that are in contact with the vulnerable such as health workers.
Illa ruled out compulsion to take the vaccine as ‘people understand that vaccination has ended other infectious diseases.’
He also warned against people who ‘tell lies and play an anti-science’ card.
On the current state of the pandemic in Spain, Illa said that he was ‘hopeful’ that any home lockdowns can be avoided so long as people follow the rules.
Over the chances of a near-normal festive season, Salvador Illa commented:
“Christmas will not be like last year, but we will do our best for families to get together to celebrate religious traditions.”
