Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou has received his first dose of the CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine developed by China's Sinovac.
Speaking to reporters after getting vaccinated at the Maciel public hospital in Montevideo on Monday, Lacalle thanked the "professionalism, humanism and disposition of the technical and medical teams, who are on the front lines vaccinating."
"They are making a great effort," he said.
The president had announced before the start of the vaccination campaign which began on March 1 that he would be vaccinated when it was the turn of his age group and not before.
As of Monday and for the next six days of what Uruguayans call Tourism Week, a national holiday for workers and students that coincides with Holy Week, anyone over 18 years of age is eligible to get vaccinated with CoronaVac.
Next Monday, the vaccination campaign returns as planned, targeting those aged 50 to 70, those over 80, and healthcare workers, education workers and members of the security forces.
Lacalle acknowledged that Uruguay is going through a "difficult" time, with an increase in COVID-19 cases "putting pressure on the last barrier, which are the ICUs (Intensive Care Units)."
Less than a month into the immunization drive, Uruguay has vaccinated more than 550,000 people and is close to immunizing almost 15 percent of its population.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
