For specialists, the holidays can be an obstacle to reaching a greater number of vaccinated and they believe that this percentage increased due to the new variants.
18 days before the end of 2021, the goal of the Government of immunize 85% from target population vaccinable, that is, 13′682,046 inhabitants, with two doses against the coronavirus and to achieve the so-called herd immunity, will not be without obstacles.
Last Thursday, that State portfolio announced what it called Vaccination against COVID-19, a strategy to reach as many of the population as possible, which took place between Saturday and Sunday.
As of December 12, according to vaccinometer, a tool created by the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) to see how the process is progressing, 11′937.655 people had the two doses (74.16%).
With these latest data, almost 12,000,000 people they would already have two doses, but to arrive at herd immunity, 13,682,046 (85%), of the 16’096.525 inhabitants, which is the target population to be vaccinated over 5 years of age, There is still about 1’7440,000 people to be inoculated.
If there are 18 days until 2021, the Government should vaccinate some 96,000 people over the age of 5, every day. The total population from Ecuador is from 17′751.277.
The Vaccination was not the only massive event carried out. In November, there was the so-called National Family Vaccination Minga. It was estimated that some 100,000 people agreed to the doses between November 20 and 21. In the Vaccination, about 91,000 people were vaccinated.
Low attendance of people to the Vaccination that the Government activated to achieve collective immunity
For Fernando Sacoto, president of the Ecuadorian Society of Public Health, the appearance of new variants removed the possibility of population protection and collective immunity with coverage of 85% referred to the total population, so they should be over 90%. He even has the doubt that such immunity can be achieved.
What should be done, at your discretion, is deepen efforts in populations with low vaccination coverage, as well as trying to more accurately determine groups of people who are reluctant to be vaccinated.
To reach populations with low coverage, The Ministry of Health must return to management from the provinces and cantons and end the “absurd” administrative zoning that has not been touched by which, for example, it is intended to manage the health of Galapagos or Guaranda from Milagro, or Cayambe , Puerto Quito from Tena, Sacoto said.
For the issue of people reluctant to get vaccinated, investigate in detail their characteristics and reasons, estimate their number to have elements of judgment to act.
“The fact that they are looming Christmas and New Years parties it can be an obstacle to reaching a greater number of vaccinated people, but at the same time, given that the festivals imply a greater risk, they should stimulate a greater attendance of people to prevent new outbreaks after the festivities ”, added Sacoto.
The Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, He mentioned that with the support of government entities and society, they reach the most remote areas, but it is not as effective in covering those segments.
“We made a deployment of brigades, for example, in Guayaquil, in the most remote areas, in Mount Sinai and in one day we were able to cover barely 600 people, for that reason it is the call to the citizenship (…) so that they attend ”, said Garzón, in a radio interview. He added that they will continue with this mechanism and with massive events, as they allow more people to be reached.
Pichincha is the province with the highest coverage of anti-COVID-19 vaccination: it exceeds 85%
In the opinion of Catalina Yepez, health doctor and epidemiologist, to accelerate the immunization plan the entire human contingent, as well as making alliances with private companies, which there are not only mingas on weekends, if not every day, in addition to shipping posts communicational motivations and risk perception if biosafety measures are ignored.
The expert recalled that in 2004 there was vaccination campaign to eliminate measles with a character named Maximum, Therefore, it was possible to vaccinate men under 40 years of age.
According to Yépez, in the vaccination campaigns people like to be told what has happened in other countries, so that breaks up the misinformation.
“Let us remember the time of Máximo and let us know that we have to go with full confidence and security to vaccinate us ”, he said.
By delta variant, the percentage of herd immunity increased to 95% of the population, expressed Yépez, and as long as there are unvaccinated groups such as those under 5 years of age, that coverage will not be completed.
Meanwhile, civil society entities such as the Esquel foundation have announced their intention to join the vaccination.
José de la Torre, coordinator of the Oxygen to Save Lives program of the Esquel foundation, explained that there will be vaccination brigades with doctors, nurses and more staff, who will go to populations with lower percentages of inoculation of 11 provinces in rural areas like Chimborazo, Tungurahua, Bolivar, Cañar, Cotopaxi, Santa Elena, Guayas, Los Ríos, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas and Pichincha, being the province most affected by the number of infections.
The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) will provide vaccines AstraZeneca and Pfizer for first and second doses and booster doses. They will be located in health centers in peripheral areas.
That extra-governmental support will begin this Wednesday, December 15. (I)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
