MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile's health minister wants people to show up for vaccination against Covid-19

“Every time there are new variants there is the probability that cases will increase again,” Aguilera explained regarding Pirola

Chile's Health Minister Ximena Aguilera launched an appeal to the citizenry to update their vaccination schedules given the appearance of the JN.1 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, also known as Pirola, of which an outbreak is feared after the strain was detected in over 40 countries.

“The circulation of the Pirola variant of the Covid virus is greater than that of Omicron,” warned on X former Health Minister Jaime Mañalich. “Masks are coming back and vaccination is increasing,” he added before wondering if it wouldn't be “prudent to carry out a serious campaign in Chile?”

In response, Aguilera said the Ministry had already started vaccinating people and insisted patients attend the nearest health centers. “Every time there are new variants there is the probability that cases will increase again. The important thing is to maintain a good level of population immunity, for which we have already begun to vaccinate,” she said. Aguilera also urged people in risk groups “to go and get vaccinated.”

University of Santiago de Chile Infectiologist Ignacio Silva also called on the Government to speed up vaccination campaigns.

According to the American Medical Association (AMA), symptoms can range from those typical of colds, such as cough and congestion, to difficulty in breathing and low oxygen levels that require urgent medical attention.

The newer vaccines target groups such as people over 60 years of age, immunocompromised patients (with HIV or cancer), chronically ill people, and healthcare workers, it was explained.

In neighboring Bolivia, local health authorities reported Sunday an 80% increase in Covid-19 cases (3,473) from those registered in the last week of 2023 (1,933). Health Minister María Renée Castro also pointed out it was just “preliminary” information.

The highest number of infections (2,497) was recorded in the department of Santa Cruz, the largest and most populated in the country. The Government also said earlier this year that an “outbreak” of the Pirola had been detected in the east.

Castro explained that this behavior of the disease was “normal” since Covid-19 had become an “endemic” disease and that the decline of this outbreak will occur in February. She also acknowledged that two deaths were registered, one in Santa Cruz and the other in La Paz. Castro also recalled that the country has vaccines available for people over 5 years of age, including pediatric immunizers.

The minister also noted that a Safety Protocol was to be implemented for the start of the school year in February. It will be recommended that students wear a face mask and that each school should have alcohol available for disinfection.

Bolivia declared the end of the sanitary emergency due to the coronavirus in August last year and with that the lifting of several sanitary restrictions. The country has faced six waves of Covid-19 since March 2020, when the first case was reported.