She noted that the Chinese manufacturer indicated that Sinovac was suitable for use in children of this age bracket, the Ecuadorian newspaper said. Garzon further stressed that all school-age children and those over three years old can get the shot.

Ecuadorian health authorities will reportedly continue to monitor the issue and will analyze additional research data obtained from Sinovac before arriving at a final decision. However, according to Garzon, the latest information guarantees immunity in children.

According to the authorities, since the pandemic start, over 430,000 cases of COVID-19 have been registered in the country, including 20,949 deaths. As of now, nearly 900,000 people (5.1% of population) have been fully vaccinated against the virus.