The goal was to have 5 million people vaccinated against COVID-19 by March 31st, but Chile has beaten its own record, meeting this target this Tuesday 16th, two weeks ahead of schedule. This will allow the vaccination calendar to be adjusted so the general public will begin its vaccination from the third week of March. It is therefore expected that 80% of the eligible population will have been vaccinated by June 30th.
Chile’s vaccination speed has been recognized by international media and research centers. One example is Our World in Data, an Oxford University initiative that named Chile as one of the countries in the world with the highest rate of vaccination per 100 inhabitants, ranking Chile in first place globally for more than a week now. Additionally, a report by JP Morgan Investment Bank forecasts that Chile could be the first emerging market country to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19.
This is the result of collective effort and demonstrates how, when the whole of Chile unites behind a single cause, it can overcome great obstacles. This tremendous effort began a year ago, with early negotiations and commercial contacts to secure the necessary doses of vaccines. Chile’s great management and logistics capacity, willingness to participate in clinical trials, nationwide healthcare network and extensive experience in mass vaccination campaigns have all contributed to the efficiency of the vaccination process.
This successful process represents a light of hope for all Chileans. But this does not mean that the pandemic is a thing of the past. We must continue to take care of ourselves so that together we can overcome this pandemic
