The European Union has not authorized CoronaVac because it has not been proven to be sufficiently effective. In the Philippines, the word on the street about CoronaVac is that it’s reserved for ordinary people while the privileged get the more efficacious vaccines. This is worth noting as the media celebrates Chile’s success in running a vaccination campaign almost entirely with CoronaVac.
Which leads us to ask: is Chile’s objective to protect its population against COVID or to produce the best statistics?
The figures, which make Chile a global frontrunner in the vaccination drive, hide the reality of the battle against the pandemic. This needs to be clarified, especially in an election year.
Little has been said about the implications of the vaccination drive for the election but statistics can be politically managed. A year ago, Piñera’s approval rating was just 6%; it now stands at anywhere between 14% and 20%. Vaccination numbers are of immediate use, but the real extent to which the population is protected will only be known much later. Thus, the success or failure of the government's strategy against the pandemic will only be seen months from now, in the infection and mortality rate.
It is also inaccurate to talk of a fully protected population, with Piñera’s administration saying it is on track to meet its target of covering 80% of its people by 30 June. To date, 2,098,908 people have received both doses of the vaccine. It is important for politicians to send the right message to Chileans – that even if many consider themselves protected from the virus, they are not, or only partially so. It is important to do this to prevent a new wave of contagion and additional deaths from COVID-19.
If vaccinated people believe they are fully protected from the virus, they may lower their guard and cease mitigation measures such as social distancing, wearing a mask and washing their hands. If that happens, Chile’s vaccination campaign could have the opposite effect – causing more people to be infected by COVID-19. The country would then be hit by a third wave of infection. It is essential to urgently call on Chileans to continue to follow health advice.
The battle against the pandemic is not over.
Comments
We encourage anyone to comment, please consult the oD commenting guidelines if you have any questions.