MARCH 30, 2021

President Piñera announces new deal with CanSino-Saval to obtain vaccines against COVID-19: “This is not the moment to let your guard down. Let’s make one final effort”

Between May and June, 1.8 million doses of the single dose vaccine will arrive, in addition to the 35 million doses the government has already secured from other laboratories. In the meanwhile, 10 million doses have now been applied in the vaccination rollout.

President Sebastián Piñera announced on Tuesday a new deal with CanSino-Saval to obtain 1.8 million additional vaccines against COVID-19, which will arrive in Chile during the second quarter.

The President also highlighted that 10 million vaccines have already been applied in Chile and 42% of the target population has been inoculated. 

“We hope that our Public Health Institute will approve the emergency use of the new CanSino vaccine and make it available to boost and accelerate our mass vaccination program and thus reach the younger generations more quickly,” said the President. He was speaking at an event, where he was accompanied by Health Minister Enrique Paris and Science Minister Andrés Couve. He also highlighted that as of today the 10 million doses of vaccine have been applied. 

The vaccine has already been authorized for use in China, Mexico, Pakistan and Hungary. Just one dose is required and it can be refrigerated at between 2°C and 8°C for up to three months, making the distribution process easier. According to the results of the first applied doses, it reached 65.7% effectiveness for symptomatic cases and 90.98% for serious cases.

The vaccine is one of the four Phase III clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines being carried out in Chile. The trials are being led by researchers from the Universidad de la Frontera in conjunction with the Universidad Austral in Valdivia and Osorno, the Universidad San Sebastián in Los Lagos and other clinical and academic teams. 

In addition, this clinical trial for vaccines against COVID-19 has the nation’s highest number of volunteers: 3,500 people between Talcahuano, Temuco, Valdivia, Osorno, Puerto Montt and Santiago.

Can-Sino, the same laboratory that successfully developed the vaccine to prevent ebola in 2014, requested authorization for the importation and emergency use of its vaccine against COVID-19 from the Public Health Institute of Chile (ISP) on March 11, through Saval Laboratory, which will be the product owner once it is approved for use.   

As of March 29, more than 6.4 million people had been vaccinated in Chile: 3.3 million of them had been completely vaccinated and 3.1 million had received one dose.

“It is only with unity, responsibility and solidarity, commitment, action and a sense of urgency that we will overcome this pandemic and regain what all of us are longing for: for all of our fellow Chileans to have the right to live with more freedoms and opportunities and greater happiness,” concluded the President.