Starting January 23, people over 50 years of age must prove having received the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to be allowed to enter closed public spaces,
Health Minister Hernando Cevallos announced on Wednesday.
The government official said the measure —to be in force nationwide— was approved this morning by the Council of Ministers as a means to stop the increase in cases and protect the populations deemed as vulnerable.
According to the Health minister, cases have climbed from 26,000 to 81,000 per week.
"Who is affected by this pandemic? Just by visiting Intensive Care Units we witness that it mainly affects those who are not vaccinated and vulnerable people, even children. Adults aged above 50 and 60 who are not immunized also become affected," he indicated.
The high-ranking official reiterated that the third dose generates a protection rate close to 75%, adding that more than 5 million people in Peru have already received it.
In this sense, he reminded citizens that more than 90% of patients who have died from COVID-19, as well as 90% of patients who are in ICU beds, had not been vaccinated or merely received one dose.
The Cabinet member indicated that the latest measure intends to protect people from this age group in the midst of this significant increase in Omicron-related infections.
"They must have (received) the booster dose so as to be allowed to enter public places from the date this decree comes into force," he emphasized.
Citizens aged above 18
It must be noted that the provision, which obliges people aged above 18 to present their vaccination cards to prove having received two vaccine doses to enter closed places, will remain in force.
Quarantine
Concerning other areas, Minister Cevallos said that Minsa's Strategic Diseases Directorate will be in charge of monitoring the presence and evolution of the Omicron variant to find out if the 10-day isolation period also applies to other provinces.
Moreover, he explained that —for now— it has been decided to include Lima and Callao because there is an important record of Omicron cases, unlike other regions, where Delta remains the predominant variant.
High alert
Lastly, the Cabinet member reported that the Council of Ministers decided to include 35 provinces under high alert, adding that restrictions and capacity limits are the same as those established in the Supreme Decree which declares the state of national emergency due to the pandemic.
(END) LIT/RRC/MVB
Published: 1/12/2022