Ecuador: Candidate Arauz to Get 7 Million Sputnik V Vaccines

Ecuador's leftist presidential candidate Andres Arauz on Tuesday announced he reached a preliminary agreement with Russia to purchase several million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine.

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"Our team has already prepared a vaccination program that will be implemented if I win the elections," the Union for Hope (UNES) alliance candidate said.

Arauz's vaccination plan would begin by immunizing front-line health workers, elderly over 70 years old, and doctors who do not treat COVID-19 patients.

In the second stage, the vaccine will be administered to adults over 60 years old, people with underlying diseases, and citizens who are from 18 to 59 years old.

If the candidate wins the Feb.7 elections, he will sign the official agreement on Monday so the Sputnik V doses arrive in Ecuador as soon as possible. 

"Throughout my election campaign, I committed myself to manage the vaccine supply for Ecuador. Today I thank Russia and Argentina for making this possible," Arauz tweeted, alluding to Argentine President Alberto Fernandez's role as mediator in the deal.

On Sunday, the Ecuadorian people will elect a new President amid the second wave of COVID-19 infections caused by the government's mishandling of the pandemic.