This Wednesday a bill was filed that It includes discounts for the issuance of the passport, military book, duplicate of the citizenship card and enrollment in public institutions of higher education, among others.
(Vaccination in Colombia: reasons that are driving immunization).
The idea of the initiative, as explained by the senator of the Conservative Party, Miguel Ángel Barreto Castillo, who filed the project, It is to improve the vaccination rates against covid-19 and reduce the impact of a possible fourth peak of the pandemic, and at the same time continue on the path of economic reactivation in Colombia.
“We want to stimulate young people and the entire population that has not yet been vaccinated with economic incentives, so that they can quickly access the complete scheme”said the congressman.
If this initiative is approved, Colombians who are vaccinated will have a 10% discount on the value of the following documents:
• Issuance of passport ($ 169,000 regular and $ 259,000 executive).
• Initial or duplicate processing of the military passbook (the minimum fee is $ 136,000 and its value is subject to the parents’ income).
• Duplicate of the citizenship card ($ 46,750).
• Enrollment for undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in Official Institutions of Higher Education, for the following academic period, after the law is approved. It should be noted that undergraduate enrollments fell 23% in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.
(Population over 18 years of age will receive a third dose against covid-19).
“We want to encourage vaccination in Colombia in a positive and purposeful way, not in a coercive way. We know that the possibility of a fourth wave in the country is imminent – as is already being seen in European countries – and for that reason, we must look for mechanisms to help us face this health calamity. It is also about keeping economic activity afloat, which is vital to guarantee reactivation “stated the senator.
According to the bill, the incentives will be cumulative with the benefits that will be granted to those who participate in the 2022 elections.
Congressman Miguel Barreto indicated that will seek the urgent message from the National Government, so that the project can come to fruition in the shortest possible time.
Despite the fact that almost 54 million doses of all the vaccines available in the country have been applied, according to Minsalud data, 5,375,404 citizens between 20 and 49 years of age have not applied the first dose. “This fact will hinder the goal set of 70% of the population vaccinated with the complete scheme for December 31 of this year, so the risk of a strong peak that will force us to impose new restrictions and confinement is high”, stressed the author of the initiative.
Barreto Castillo promoted the participation of the private sector in the National Vaccination Plan; which led the government to issue the decree so that companies could vaccinate their employees.
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