The health authorities of Panama began this Friday a day of vaccination against this disease of athletes who have upcoming international competitions.

Up to the mythical Roberto Durán Arena, in the Panamanian capital and witness of great sporting feats, 107 athletes arrived to receive the immunization, among them the bulk of the futsal team that is getting ready to compete in the Lithuanian World Cup, third in a row for the Central American team.

In silence and among the athletes, with his on and waiting for the call for the injection was Alfonso Mckenzie, three times World Cup with Panama futsal.

He said that the vaccination plan for athletes is "a good initiative", because so many will focus more on preparing for their international competitions without thinking so much about the virus, but stressed that the already known security measures.

"The covid has alienated many athletes from competitions," said the player.

Among the group of athletes, regardless of their discipline, there was an atmosphere of camaraderie, exchange of anecdotes, but the main topics in the environment were fear of the injection, rumors about the vaccine and if they would have to take a break from your workouts.

"There is always a fear, but for our sake it is important to receive the vaccine," said the Panamanian player, who went through the injection chair with the same coldness that he has when defining in front of the goal.

The athletes, mostly with upcoming competitions within the Olympic cycle and with international competitions, went one by one towards the two vaccination enclosures that were implemented in the coliseum.

The process included giving his personal data, and then being injected by the nurses, eight in total, who attended in both cabins and then being monitored by a group of doctors before returning to their homes.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health of Panama told Efe that "in 14 to 21 days they must return for the second dose" of the vaccine from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer.

According to official data, 1,100,689 doses of the covid-19 vaccine have been administered in Panama until this Thursday, of the around 1.4 million that have arrived in the country, the vast majority from Pfizer, the largest supplier, and the rest of AstraZeneca.