CARACAS, Venezuela, (teleSUR) — Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro Sunday announced he’ll be the first to get vaccinated when the Russian COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, arrives in the country. He recalled that Russia was the first country in the world to vaccinate its population and volunteered to test the Sputnik V.
“There will be a time when we all get vaccinated and the first to be vaccinated will be me. I’m going to get the vaccine, I’m going to set an example”, Maduro said.
The Bolivarian leader added that immediately after him, the government would vaccinate healthcare workers, elderly people, and those with health conditions.
Maduro harshly criticized the US government’s efforts to block Venezuela from receiving medicines supplies and held Donald Trump’s special envoy, Elliott Abrams, responsible for handling this aggressive policy.
“We try to buy medicines to fight against the virus and they persecute us, they call the companies and order them to not selling the medicines to Venezuela.”
Maduro also announced that the government will keep implementing the 7+7 strategy to stop the virus spread. This health strategy consists of seven days of radical confinement that are followed by seven days of economic activity openness.
“As long as we don’t have the vaccine we have to maintain the 7+7 policy,” he added.
As of Monday morning, Venezuela had reported 33,755 COVID-19 total cases, 281 deaths, and 22,700 discharged patients.