Las New variants of Covid-19 continue to spread around the world. They have been circulating in Colombia since December 2023 and the number of confirmed cases this year is 25,000. In August alone, there were more than 1,500 confirmed cases, according to health authorities.
According to the National Institute of Health (INS), more than 8,000 patients (32.1%) have required hospitalization and 263 people have diedmostly over 60 years of age. People hospitalized or deceased due to Covid-19 are mainly those who are not vaccinated or who have not updated their regimen, that is, those who have not received the vaccine in the last six months.
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However, Moderna’s updated XBB.1.5 vaccine is available nationwide and can be accessed for free in most public and private IPS for the population from six months of age. This can be applied at the same time as other vaccines in the immunization plan, such as influenza or pneumococcus, and is the safest and most reliable way to generate protection by stimulating our own defense system.
It should be noted that there are more than 3,800 vaccination points enabled in all departments of the country. Those interested can consult the biologicals at the nearest medical centres, or on the website of the health department of their municipality or city.
It is not necessary to make an appointment in advance. Once at the vaccination point, the identity document and the Covid-19 vaccination card will be requested, if the person already has it. “If you do not have it, there is no problem. It should be noted that health human talent, those over 60 years of age, pregnant women and people with comorbidities are the priority population,” indicated the INS.
“We are facing a still alarming situation in Colombia, with more than 260 deaths and 8,000 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 this year. Vaccination is our best tool to reverse this trend and protect the population. Despite having been vaccinated in the past, we must get vaccinated now. The vaccines of the past do not protect us from today’s virus. Vaccines are available throughout the country and we continue to invite people to take advantage of the opportunity to get vaccinated to prevent the spread of the virus,” said Andrey Rojas, vaccine doctor at Adium-Moderna.
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It is worth noting that updated XBB.1.5 vaccines against the currently circulating variants of Covid-19 are available in Colombia. In March, more than a million doses arrived in the country to deal with the persistent number of infections And since then, thousands of Colombians have been vaccinated and thousands more are expected to do so.
