The President of the Canary Islands, Ángel Víctor Torres, has reiterated that the first objective set in relation to vaccination against the coronavirus is to reach July 31 with 70 percent of the population of the islands (1.8 million inhabitants) "not vaccinated, but immunized", and subsequently those over 12 years of age will be vaccinated "according to what is dictated by the scientific community."
"There is a second phase, which is fundamental, for children, who will also join the academic activity once we reach September and, according to the scientific community, the relevant reports, we will make the proposal that this sector can be vaccinated, but we must always do it with the maximum scientific and health safety", he added in statements to journalists during an event in the capital of Gran Canaria, when asked about this issue.
In addition, the Canarian president has highlighted the fact that scientists have been able to "achieve different vaccines in 10 months, which in other circumstances would have taken 10 years", thus achieving "something unthinkable, unprecedented."
He added that "there is always" some "small risk" when taking a drug, but, he stressed, "undoubtedly the benefits are much greater, there is the proof, with most of the population vaccinated, the more people vaccinated, the lower the accumulated incidence, the lower the infections, the lower the deaths and the lower the people in hospitals."
Regarding the Indian variant and the coverage that current coronavirus vaccines may have towards it, he pointed out that mutations in viruses "are natural", since it is something that occurs annually with the "flu vaccine and scientific procedures have to mutate to respond to a mutation of the virus", so he considered that "there is no need to dramatize". Thus, although he admitted that "all variants and strains are worrying", he was also convinced that "science will respond."
