Hospitals in the Arauco Province receive the first 20 thousand vaccine doses for the fight against COVID-19

All the vaccines will be distributed from the Lebu Hospital to vaccination centers in the primary health network in the Arauco Province, in southern Chile. CMPC provided the corporate Bell 412 Helicopter from its wildfire program, to distribute the vaccine.

From the airport Carriel Sur in Concepción, 20 thousand doses of the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine were transported to the Arauco Province, one of the vaccines authorized for use in protecting against COVID-19. 

Logistics was under the purview of Empresas CMPC, who provided one of their Bell 412 helicopters from the fire-fighting fleet to rapidly transport the life-saving cargo. 

“We are transporting 20 thousand doses of the Sinovac vaccine to the province of Arauco in a helicopter provided by CMPC, helping to distribute them as quickly as possible. We are grateful or the support of private enterprises in the battle we are all fighting against COVID-19” indicated the Governor of the Biobio region, Patricio Kuhn. 

The transport of the doses was headed by the Biobio Regional Governor who, in conjunction with the Health Ministry Regional Secretary (Seremi) Mr. Hector Muñoz, arrived at the reception and distribution center in the Arauco Province. 

Of the 20 thousand doses taken to the Santa Isabel Hospital in Lebu, 12 thousand will be distributed to family medicine centers, and all the hospitals in the province of Arauco including the CESFAM (Family Medicine Centers) in the municipality of Tirúa.  

The Governor of the Arauco Province Mr. Oscar Muñoz commented “this is a long process, a huge battle and we thank the Government, and today in particular, CMPC, who supported us with transport, hastening the delivery of the vaccine which as of tomorrow will be distributed to every corner of the province, in which we have a high percentage of rural settlements”

In this manner the arrival of the vaccine officially kicks off the mass vaccination drive for COVID-19, beginning Wednesday the 3rd of February with frontline health workers, medical interns, the elderly, state-run children’s homes (SENAME), care homes and for staff and residents of long-term nursing and care facilities for the elderly (ELEAM).

Lastly, the Assistant Manager of Special Projects at CMPC, Mr. Cristian Puga stated; “today we have added our efforts to the work undertaken in the public sector to deliver the vaccine. Our goal is to transport the vaccine doses that arrived today in Arauco, in the shortest time possible. Our support was provided adhering to the strictest sanitary protocols, banking on the all the necessary equipment to ensure the vaccines arrived in the promised timeframe”.