Control of the pandemic seems to be closer in America. Most of the countries already exceed 30% of those vaccinated with the two doses and progress is being made in inoculating the third. In addition, Chile suspended this Monday from October 1 the curfew in force since March 2020, a step towards precovid normality.
Figures in countries such as Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay and Chile encourage optimism, although at least “normal life” will still take “a year” to arrive, as predicted on Sunday by Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, who did not specify if it will be reached at the same speed in all countries.
Despite the generalized truce, the figures remain dramatic: in the last 7 days, the region added 1.1 million new cases, for a total of 89.3 million infected and 2.2 million deaths, according to data of the World Health Organization (WHO).
PLAN THIRD DOSES
Although only Uruguay, Chile and Canada exceed 70% of the fully immunized population, more countries in the region are planning to supply a third dose, despite the WHO calling for a moratorium on booster vaccines until December, given the dose distribution inequality on the planet.
Even so, Costa Rica announced a new purchase of vaccines for that third round; In El Salvador, more than 5,000 people have already applied the third dose, according to official data updated today, and in Panama it will also be received by immunosuppressed patients from this Wednesday.
In the US, where nearly 70 million people are not vaccinated, President Joe Biden gave himself the third Pfizer injection this day, three days after the health authorities authorized the reinforcement for vulnerable groups.
In a White House auditorium and with journalists and cameras present, Biden rolled up his sleeves for a nurse to administer a booster dose, as recommended by the country’s authorities for those over 65 and other vulnerable groups.
CHILE SUSPENDING TOUCH OF REMAIN
On the road to normality, the Chilean government reported this Monday that it was not renewing the state of catastrophe as of October 1, and therefore, eliminating the curfew in force since March 2020.
A measure announced shortly after the authorities reopened the borders to vaccinated foreigners as of October 1, after several weeks with a significant decrease in cases and a national positivity rate that to date stands at 1%.
Without the current state of exception, there will be no more regional or community quarantines throughout the country, although measures such as the isolation of positive cases, close contacts, suspects and travelers, in addition to capacity limitations depending on the epidemiological situation, will be maintained.
PERU CONFIRMS DELTA PLUS VARIANT
Peru’s Health Ministry confirmed on Saturday the first three cases of the delta plus variant, which contains a new mutation in the spike protein that the virus uses to enter human cells.
These first cases found in Lima were reported by the Minister of Health, Hernando Cevallos, in statements to journalists during a visit to one of the active vaccination centers in the Peruvian capital.
“Not only has the delta variant increased, but the delta plus variant has appeared, which generates an immune leak, which is a decrease in the effectiveness of the vaccine. This does not mean that the vaccines applied are not suitable for the delta plus variant ”, explained Cevallos.
The discovery comes when the country reached 10 million people fully vaccinated, which is equivalent to almost 30% of its population, and exceeded 25 million doses applied, according to data published by the Ministry of Health on Sunday.
BOLSONARO DA NEGATIVO EN COVID
The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, tested negative for covid-19 on Sunday, after remaining in quarantine since he returned last Wednesday from the United Nations, because four members of the delegation that accompanied him were diagnosed with the virus, sources reported officers.
On the recommendation of the Brazilian health authorities, Bolsonaro was isolated since last Wednesday, when he returned to the country from the UN General Assembly, for having had contact with his Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, who tested positive for covid and had to remain in quarantine in New York.
Bolsonaro, who has already contracted the disease and so far has not been immunized against the pathogen, is one of the world leaders most denial of the severity of the pandemic, which already leaves more than 594,443 dead and 21.4 million infected in Brazil.
EXPORT VACCINES FROM LATIN AMERICA
The plant that the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac will install in Santiago, Chile “will export to all of Latin America” vaccines against covid-19, the Minister of Health of the Andean country, Enrique Paris, said today.
Paris explained that the Chinese laboratory will install in the capital of his country a plant to fill -not manufacture- vials and a research institute in Antofagasta (north), which will help fight the pandemic in the region.
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