MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Now they say Tierra del Fuego did not achieve herd immunity against COVID-19

Argentine media blamed each other for misquoting health officials

Argentina's Health Ministry has announced Minister Carla Vizzotti had not said Thursday morning that the province of Tierra del Fuego, which technically comprises British Overseas Territories such as the Falkland Islands, had achieved herd immunity against COVID-19.

A Ministry spokesperson announced late Thursday that what Vizzotti had meant to say was that she valued the province's high vaccination rate.

Confusion had been caused by a wire from the Télam agency mentioning those exact words (“herd immunity”) which every newspaper had printed unquestioningly.

Vizzotti and her Tierra del Fuego colleague Judith Di Giglio had addressed the “high level of immunization“ achieved in people over 18 years of age throughout the province, which has a population of around 177,000.

Meanwhile, Télam sources quoted by Córdoba's Cadena 3 said it had been the Buenos Aires daily La Nación's fault to put the phrase “herd immunity” as coming from Vizzotti's mouth.

Vizzotti and DiGiglio had both taken part alongside Fuegian Deputy Governor Mónica Urquiza in a press conference during which it was announced that 93% of the province's adult population had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 72% had been injected with the full scheme.

The Fuegian minister also explained that 97% of people aged over 60 or otherwise falling under COVID-19 risk groups had been fully vaccinated.

In addition to praising local vaccination achievements, Vizzotti had explained that the immunization campaign was also ”very advanced throughout the country.“ She pointed out that ”87% of those over 18 years of age have already received the first dose and 62% have completed the scheme.“

But even though warmer weather is to be expected in the short run, Vizzotti insisted the pandemic was not over and that it was not going to be “until most countries manage to advance in their vaccination campaigns.”

Read also: Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego announces herd immunity achieved