PANAMA CITY, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Violeta Gaona, a 59-year-old nurse, on Wednesday became the first person vaccinated in Panama against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), following the arrival of the first batch of vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech laboratories.
Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo was on hand for Gaona's vaccination at the publically-run Santo Tomas Hospital in Panama's capital, which was broadcast live on television.
Gaona, who has worked 37 years in the hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU), said she was a little nervous but positive about getting the vaccine shot, as doctors and nurses were prioritized for immunization.
Those attending the event broke into applause after she received the shot, and Cortizo hailed the contribution of healthcare workers in combating the disease in the lead up to the vaccination campaign.
"I am grateful for the work and effort of many Panamanians, but especially the healthcare personnel and the public (security) force," Cortizo said.
The second phase of the immunization drive will target more than 550,000 people over 60, with vaccination centers set up at schools and college campuses, said the president.
"We have a huge mission that we are going to fulfill," he said.
According to the Ministry of Health's latest pandemic report on Monday, a total of 301,534 people had tested positive for COVID-19 and 4,864 died from the disease. Enditem
