With more than 75 million doses applied, the National Vaccination Campaign against covid – 19 turned one year old this Wednesday. “The most important campaign in our history“, as defined by the Minister of Health Carla Vizzotti, already covered with complete scheme to 32,587,409 people: more than 70 percent of the population. Meanwhile, the 83 percent of Argentines have already started the scheme, which places the country at the top of the region, above several European countries and about the global mean. With the challenge of reach those who have not been vaccinated so far, or they only did it with one dose, Argentina has a stock over 20 million of vaccines.
On December 29, 2020, doctor Francisco Traverso became the first person to be vaccinated against covid in Argentine territory. At the Posadas Hospital, Traverso received one of the 300,000 doses of Sputnik V that had arrived days ago. “365 days later we have come a long way“Vizzotti said this Wednesday at a press conference from Casa Rosada.
Last week, with the arrival of 739,440 vaccines from Pfizer, the country exceeded one hundred million doses acquired. Of that total, there are 75,644,660 that have already been applied: 38,036,381 people started the scheme, while 32,587,409 have already completed it. Meanwhile, more than five million have already received a third immunization: 2,436,423 with “additional” doses and 2,584,447 with “booster” doses.
“Argentina made a great vaccination campaign and also had to give an important fight of meaning with a opposition that first said that Sputnik V was poison, after the vaccines expired and the deadline did not have to be delayed, and finally that the combination of vaccines did not work, “he recalled to Page 12 Mario Lozano, virologist at Conicet and specialist in vaccines. “It was shown that all that was false: vaccines are excellent, extending the time between first and second is more effective, and combination gives even better results“added the virologist.
The application figures put Argentina among the top positions in South America. Saving population differences, with the 71 percent of Argentines with a complete scheme, the country is located behind Chile, with 86.1 percent, and Uruguay, with 75.4. If only the application of the first doses is taken, the Argentine percentage rises to 83 percent, surpassing in that case Uruguay, which has 78.1 percent, and lagging behind Chile, with 90 percent. “We will reach more than 90 percent“, assured Lozano in this sense.
As reported by the Proyecto Our World in Data, which collects daily official data from all the countries of the world, currently the global average of vaccination is 58 percent with complete schedule and 49 percent with one dose. “We are above various countries in Europe“added Lozano. Indeed, with a dose Argentina finds itself with averages higher than countries like Italy (80 percent), France (78), United Kingdom (76) and Germany (73). With the complete scheme, Italy and France surpass Argentina by between 3 and 4 percentage points, while Germany and the UK are down by between 1 and 2 points.
In this scenario, the challenge is to reach out to those who have not started the scheme or that the second dose has not yet been given. “There were people who delayed the start of their vaccination, even doctors who had priority, because they had filled my head with the lie that Sputnik was unproven“said Lozano. While progress is being made with third doses, the country has a stock over 20 million of vaccines available. “Another highlight is that our scientific system is in the process of developing vaccines. We already have four research groups each developing a different vaccine for when we need them, “concluded Lozano.
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