To date, 31% of the target population in Peru has been immunized with the two doses of the vaccine against COVID-19, and the Government's goal —in the face of a potential third wave— is to reach 50% by the end of September.
"The target population consists of 28 million inhabitants, of which 31% (8,602,000 people) have been immunized with the two doses so far, but we need to reach 50% (14 million) by the end of September or early October," she said in statements to
Andina news agency.
It should be pointed out that the target population is composed of people over 18 years of age and also those over 12, as long as they have a comorbidity or a physical/mental health condition that determines the need for immunization
Progress in rural areas
Jimenez explained that —on average— around 36% of the target population in provincial capitals has been vaccinated; however, this figure drops to 15% or 17%, on average, when it comes to rural areas within the same regions.
"This means that there is a large vaccination gap in rural areas, and this is because, in April or May, when there were few vaccines, the distribution took place in urban settings or provincial capitals as the jabs required modern refrigeration systems," the Minsa official stated.
For this reason, she said, regions like Puno, Madre de Dios, Huanuco, Loreto, Ucayali, Cajamarca, Amazonas, and San Martin, had the lowest coverage in terms of allocation of doses at regional level.
Now, we are supplying a larger number of doses to those regions, because the idea is to homogenize the age of people vaccinated with two doses to 40 years, and then continue to lower the age limit.
(END) RRC/RMB/MVB
Publicado: 8/9/2021