The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warned on Wednesday (04.20.2022) that the coronavirus pandemic was not over and urged not to lower its guard, but acknowledged that each country could make “its own decision” regarding its management. He also praised the progress made in vaccination, but stressed that many countries have not achieved 50 percent protection of the vaccinated population.
“Each country has its own decision on how to manage the pandemic-related measures,” said PAHO director Carissa Etienne, when asked about the end of the health emergency in Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay. However, the official warned that the variants of anxiety “continue to circulate.”
“We could see a resurgence of cases and deaths at any time. Therefore, we must monitor the numbers very closely and be prepared to respond quickly,” he recommended. In addition, he urged people to complete their immunization schedules and continue to wear masks in enclosed and crowded spaces.
Vaccination stagnates in some areas
Regarding the vaccination, the entity stressed that both cases and deaths have decreased in the region, except in North America, and noted that 14 countries in the Americas have already been vaccinated at least 70 percent of the population. In addition, he pointed out that many countries in the region have some of the highest coverage rates in the world.
However, in some areas vaccination is slowed or blocked, such as the Caribbean, where less than 30 percent of the population is on schedule. So in Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Saint Lucia. Guatemala, Guyana and Paraguay also failed to vaccinate half of the population.
“Currently, we have enough vaccine supplies to meet the demand throughout our region,” said Etienne, who urged countries to integrate vaccine-19 vaccines with other routine vaccines to help “families catch up on all vaccines.” Meanwhile, OPS Health Director Ciro Ugarte, meanwhile, said that “this is not the time to lower our guard,” because there is “a way out.”
DZC (EFE, AFP)
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Climbing towards the mountain villages
Anyone who wants to vaccinate people in the mountainous regions of southeastern Turkey must be fit. Dr. Zeynep Eralp said in an interview with DW: “People tend to live nearby” and the virus can spread quickly, vaccination in mountain villages is particularly important. Also, people don’t like going to the hospital, “so we have to go to it.”
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Snow and cold shots
Older people do not go to the vaccination center on their own. In the Maira Valley, in the western Italian Alps, very close to the French border, doctors go from house to house to vaccinate people over the age of 80 against the coronavirus. Along the way they have religious support.
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
By plane to the Yukon River
With the shipment of her coronavirus vaccine, this nurse travels to Eagle by plane. Less than 100 people live in this area of the Yukon River, Alaska, USA.
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Not only to be vaccinated but also to convince
Anselmo Tunubala washes his hands before vaccinating an elderly woman. Every day, the 49-year-old man walks in the mountains of southwestern Colombia to explain to the local language the importance of vaccination. He is a member of the misak, who remains there. They are very skeptical about vaccinations, because they rely on traditional medicine and religious leaders very much.
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Walk for several hours to get vaccinated
These men and women walked for up to four hours to get vaccinated in the city of Nueva Colonia, in central Mexico. They belong to the indigenous people of Wixárika. Internationally they are best known by the name Huicholes.
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Shots on a boat
Olga Pimentel pulled her boat around the vaccination team. The Nossa Senhora Livramento community in Rio Negro, Brazil, can only be reached by the river. “Good! It hardly hurts,” the 72-year-old woman laughed, shouting “Long live SUS!”, Brazil’s public health system.
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Vaccines without electricity
For a long time, right-wing populist president Jair Bolsonaro was not in favor of vaccinating coronaviruses in Brazil. Indigenous peoples and quilombolas, descendants of African slaves, were among the first to be vaccinated. Including Raimunda Nonata, 70 years old. Since their community does not have access to the electric grid, the vaccine was administered by candle.
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Home doctors in Japan
Also in Japan, the doctor went home to get the vaccine. Although the Japanese metropolis is among the largest cities in the world, East Asia also has small isolated cities with only a few hundred inhabitants, such as Kitaaiki. Anyone who can’t go to the next biggest city is happy with the doctor’s visit home.
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Valuable vaccines in Indonesia
In early January, vaccinations also began in Indonesia. By boat, health personnel traveled to remote islands. Vaccines in the refrigerator are so valuable that there are safety guards watching over them.
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Coronavirus: vaccination in distant and unusual places
Vaccination as a supercotagio event
India is currently the country most affected by the pandemic. In mid-March, medical workers arrived in the village of Bahakajari, on the Brahmaputra River. These women wanted to register for the vaccine. No masks, no safety distances. Hopefully this situation has not caused more infections.
Author: Ute Steinwehr, Philipp Böll
