Argentina Covid-19 strategy under scrutiny as death toll passes 100,000
15 July 2021 - 23:51
byJorgelina do Rosario
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Argentina is facing large delays in its inoculation programme against Covid-19, with experts cautioning for a change in strategy as deaths top 100,000.
The country of 45-million people has already given out 26-million of Covid-19 vaccine shots, but only about one out of 10 Argentines are fully vaccinated. That makes it the country with the largest gap between vaccine doses in Latin America, followed by Brazil and Mexico.
Argentina decided in March to delay the second jab by three months to reach as many people as possible with a first dose, but cases and deaths have continued to climb, with the country passing 100,000 deaths on Wednesday. As concerns mount that the Delta variant will become more prevalent, a top adviser on the board that advises Alberto Fernandez’s government on Covid-19 strategy says the current plan needs to change.
“The one-dose strategy isn’t enough with the Delta variant,” doctor Eduardo Lopez said in a phone interview from Buenos Aires. “The March strategy was set based on variants where a single dose was efficient. Argentina needs to get out and get more vaccines.”
The health ministry has reported 15 cases of Delta from travellers coming from abroad.
South America’s second-largest economy has relied so far on 30.5-million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V, China’s Sinopharm and AstraZeneca. Part of the delay is explained by widespread shortages of the second dose of Sputnik V.
Argentina recently changed its local vaccine regulations to speed up access to a wider range of vaccines including those made by US labs as the Biden administration steps up global donations. The country also signed a contract this week to get 20-million of Moderna shots that will arrive starting the first quarter of 2022.
The government’s “minimum priority” should be to complete full vaccinations for those aged 60 and up and any adults with pre-existing risk factors, Lopez said.
“Over two-thirds of deaths are happening to those aged 60 and up, while those with risk factors are being hospitalised,” he added. “Argentina needs to get vaccines known to be efficient against the new variants.”
Bloomberg News. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Argentina Covid-19 strategy under scrutiny as death toll passes 100,000
Argentina is facing large delays in its inoculation programme against Covid-19, with experts cautioning for a change in strategy as deaths top 100,000.
The country of 45-million people has already given out 26-million of Covid-19 vaccine shots, but only about one out of 10 Argentines are fully vaccinated. That makes it the country with the largest gap between vaccine doses in Latin America, followed by Brazil and Mexico.
Argentina decided in March to delay the second jab by three months to reach as many people as possible with a first dose, but cases and deaths have continued to climb, with the country passing 100,000 deaths on Wednesday. As concerns mount that the Delta variant will become more prevalent, a top adviser on the board that advises Alberto Fernandez’s government on Covid-19 strategy says the current plan needs to change.
“The one-dose strategy isn’t enough with the Delta variant,” doctor Eduardo Lopez said in a phone interview from Buenos Aires. “The March strategy was set based on variants where a single dose was efficient. Argentina needs to get out and get more vaccines.”
The health ministry has reported 15 cases of Delta from travellers coming from abroad.
South America’s second-largest economy has relied so far on 30.5-million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V, China’s Sinopharm and AstraZeneca. Part of the delay is explained by widespread shortages of the second dose of Sputnik V.
Argentina recently changed its local vaccine regulations to speed up access to a wider range of vaccines including those made by US labs as the Biden administration steps up global donations. The country also signed a contract this week to get 20-million of Moderna shots that will arrive starting the first quarter of 2022.
The government’s “minimum priority” should be to complete full vaccinations for those aged 60 and up and any adults with pre-existing risk factors, Lopez said.
“Over two-thirds of deaths are happening to those aged 60 and up, while those with risk factors are being hospitalised,” he added. “Argentina needs to get vaccines known to be efficient against the new variants.”
Bloomberg News. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
Australia stuck in Covid-19 limbo land amid slow vaccine rollout
England seems to be repeating some of the pandemic’s worst mistakes
This is how to overcome Covid-19 vaccine bottlenecks
Why Indonesia’s economy is expected to weather Covid-19 battering
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Most Read
Related Articles
Ivermectin isn’t a wonder drug for Covid-19
Israel offers third Covid-19 booster shot as new cases surge
How pandemic is making US economy more productive
WHO says countries are ordering booster shots while others need first jabs
World hunger and malnutrition soared in pandemic-hit 2020, say UN agencies
Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.