
QUITO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador will receive 2 million doses of the CoronaVac vaccine from the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac for mass vaccination against COVID-19, after negotiations were finalized on Thursday, Ecuadoran Health Minister Juan Carlos Zevallos said.
"Sinovac is being incorporated ... Just this morning we received the approval with all the seals and legal approvals from the Chinese government and the company," Zevallos told a press conference.
This "is very important because it will allow us to quickly reach the required percentages and help us tremendously to cover a higher percentage of the population," the minister said.
Of the 2 million doses, 1 million will arrive in March and the remaining in April, he said.
The nation has now secured 20 million doses of vaccines from vaccine manufacturers, the minister said. In addition to the 2 million CoronaVac doses, the country will receive 6 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, 5 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine and 7 million doses from the COVAX Facility Initiative led by the World Health Organization.
Ecuador's pilot vaccination program, which kicked off on Jan. 21, has so far inoculated health personnel in 55 hospitals and seniors in 19 nursing homes. The government's goal is to start mass vaccination of 60 percent of the population, or 9 million people, in March.
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses