Paraguay destroys 22,500 expired doses of AstraZeneca vaccine

Paraguay destroys 22,500 expired doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.

PARAGUAY has announced that it has had to destroy 22,500 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine after they expired. They have been removed from the cold chain in which they were protected and are being destroyed in a secure environment.

The director of the Expanded Immunisation Program (PAI) of Paraguay, Héctor Castro, revealed that the doses expired on Tuesday, November 30.

The country is currently struggling to get its residents to take the vaccine, with Paraguay Deputy Minister of Health, Hernán Martinez stating “many are still resistant” to this vaccine.

“The rejection persists so far and is mainly seen in the young population, who prefer not to be vaccinated if they are going to receive AstraZeneca,” Martinez added.

Castro and the Paraguay Health Ministry are planning to reconsider a change in the country’s vaccination strategy given the low immunisation rate.

The Government had recently launched a strategy of house-to-house visits to vaccinate people in their homes but according to Martinez, “there are many unfavourable myths around AstraZeneca, which causes many to resist taking it.”

As part of the house visits, vaccinators have been explaining to each person the benefits and safety of the vaccines.

At a press conference of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, Héctor Castro thanked the vaccinations for their great work to avoid more vaccines being wasted.

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