PAHO reports 78 million vaccinated for covid19 in Americas

File photo -
File photo -

Seventy-eight million people have been vaccinated against covid19 in the Americas, the vast majority in North America.

Carissa Etienne, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), made this announcement at a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

But she said despite the advance in immunisation figures, it is still insufficient, as well as the number of doses of vaccines.

She also said, "Covid19 cases and deaths in the US decreased 30 per cent in the last week compared to the previous week, and most South American countries are reporting a drop in new cases."

However, Etienne acknowledged that more than 34,000 people had died in the last week in the region.

“The figures continue to be alarming, In the US more than half a million people died, while in the Caribbean, Barbados and St Lucia continue to register increases in cases. We must maintain sanitisation measures and promote the acquisition of more doses of vaccines,” she added.

PAHO believes that in March the vaccines already agreed on for each country will be delivered through the Covax mechanism.

Jarbas Barbosa, deputy director of PAHO, explained that each country, when joining Covax, made a request for vaccines according to its population.

“There is World Health Organization group that has evaluated each case and most countries will receive enough for around 2.2 to 2.6 per cent of their population, with the exception of some Caribbean countries that will have enough for between six and 20 per cent of their population,” he explained.

Barbosa emphasised the importance of vaccines reaching the most vulnerable areas in order to control the spread of the virus, saying for that it is necessary to acquire many more doses.

"PAHO and its partner countries are working to get more doses that can be distributed equitably as soon as possible."

PAHO said it was finalising negotiations with a new vaccine producer.

Barbosa, responding to questions about the possible "vaccination passports" that some countries want to implement, said each nation must first guarantee its internal vaccinations.

"It is a very delicate issue. You have to be very careful with the barriers that affect people and their mobility needs," he said.

He also said that the possible fines applied by some countries for those who do not want to be vaccinated are internal decisions for each nation, and that there must be a collective protection role.

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"PAHO reports 78 million vaccinated for covid19 in Americas"

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