So far, 60% of the population in five regions has received the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, thanks to efforts made by healthcare workers and citizens,
Ministry of Health (Minsa) Immunizations Director Maria Elena Martinez said on Wednesday.
According to the National Single Health Data Repository (Reunis) of Minsa, the aforementioned regions are Ancash, Tumbes, Ica, Lima regions, Callao, and Lima.
While providing an overview of the progress made in the vaccination process nationwide, Martinez reported that so far 70,297,000 vaccine doses have been administered, of which 14,745,265 were given as third dose.
According to the Minsa official, huge efforts are being made under a strategy that brings the vaccines closer to the population in order to move forward because there are people who have not received the first dose yet, while others have not completed their vaccination series.
She also noted that, although some regions have made progress and others are on track, the aforementioned strategy is being strengthened in jurisdictions such as Puno, where vaccinations rates are still a bit low.
"The message is that we are moving forward and, therefore, we are preparing a series of strategies within the framework of the campaign 'I get vaccinated Peru, complete the dose you lack,' such as setting up vaccination sites in health centers," Martinez remarked.
She went on to say that the vaccination challenges are huge, which is why the process did not stop during Holy Week and vaccination brigades were placed at tollbooths, bus stops, and temples so that people, even children, can travel safely.
The head of the Immunizations Department explained that the current vaccination challenges are different to those that emerged in 2021 because, at that time, people were vaccinated following a 21- or 28-day window between each dose, depending on the type of vaccination.
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Published: 4/20/2022