New batch of Sinopharm vaccines to bolster Argentina's vaccination drive

BUENOS AIRES - A second batch of China's Sinopharm vaccines arrived in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires on Thursday to strengthen the country's mass inoculation campaign against COVID-19.

Argentine Health Minister Carla Vizzotti received the shipment at the Ezeiza international airport, located south of the Argentine capital.

"We are happy, because with these ... doses of Sinopharm that we receive today, we will be able to continue moving forward with the vaccination of people with some condition of risk, including those over 60 years old," Vizzotti said.

On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Sola said the vaccines provided by China are a "great boost at a crucial moment in the vaccination campaign."

Argentina received the first batch of vaccines from Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinopharm on Feb 25.

To date, the country has reported 2,363,251 COVID-19 cases with 55,941 deaths.