Countries like France, Australia, and the United States, among others, have recently decided to stop wearing face masks in public spaces. How prepared are we to stop using them as a protective measure against COVID-19?
According to
Peruvian College of Physicians Dean Raul Urquizo, having not yet managed to vaccinate 100% of the national population against COVID-19, it would not be recommendable to stop wearing face masks in public places —whether open or closed.
"We are facing a catastrophic health situation in which it is not the time to remove face masks, since vaccination nationwide (with the booster dose) does not even reach 80%," the specialist indicated.
Therefore, he said the immunization process must continue nationwide and even stronger.
Within this framework, 9,925,661 citizens have been vaccinated with a booster dose. This figure represents 69.2% of the vulnerable population.
"What happens in nearby countries, like Chile, is that they are already vaccinating 3-year-old children,
while we are vaccinating 5-year-olds and still in an incomplete manner. Thus, we cannot walk without face masks because of the risks that still exist if a person is not vaccinated," he explained.
Along the same lines, the physician also suggested that the Government intensify the various vaccination campaigns throughout the country.
"Parents have doubts and fears about taking their children to school;
they are one month away from returning to school. People should not remove their face masks, especially in places like Puno, Madre Dios (region), Iquitos, or Pucallpa, whose vaccination rates stand merely between 50% and 60%; it would not be prudent," he concluded.