Carla Vizzotti announced a health pass for mass events | “The pandemic did not end”

“The pandemic did not end. We always said that until all countries agree to vaccination, a new strain could emerge that would put progress in the world at risk”, emphasized the Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti, when referring to the South African variant in the framework of the press conference at Casa Rosada after the meeting of the Federal Health Council (Cofesa).

After the meeting she held with heads of health portfolios from all over the country to analyze the epidemiological situation and the progress of the coronavirus vaccination plan, the official pointed out that the variant that emerged in southern Africa has been defined by the World Organization of Health (WHO) as a “variant of concern”, and that “it is a more transmissible variant” although “it is still necessary to generate more information on its lethality and coverage by vaccines.”

“In Argentina we are in a favorable epidemiological situation, with a stable, low number of cases, despite having a significant mobility of the population. This is thanks to the progress of the vaccination campaign, “he stressed.

Along the same lines, he stressed that “we need to speed up vaccination, strengthen care” but “without generating fear because we are in a favorable epidemiological situation.”

Health pass

In order to speed up vaccination, Vizzotti reported that the implementation of a health pass will be proposed, which will be “a qualification for the most risky activities, which are massive events and in closed spaces, for people who have their full vaccination schedule, at least 14 days before that time, for those over 13 years of age who they have that availability in the app to care“.

“It is a measure that will make those who took time to complete the scheme to have that stimulus to really take that little step, perceive the risk, the importance of completing the vaccination scheme,” he remarked.

And he added: “Those over 13 years of age are those who can have the autonomy to go to be vaccinated. All the tools have already been generated so that through the caring app or a pdf that we are going to implement and communicate they can have that certificate.”

Borders

On the other hand, the Minister of Health specified that although the restart of flights with a direct airline to Africa was stipulated in mid-December, the start of the trips will be postponed.

“The other issue that we are working on is that the people who may have been on the African continent in the last 14 days and entered by land or through ships, do the PCR independent of the vaccination scheme, and do the 14-day isolation with discharge CRP to minimize the possibility of entry of the new variant, “he explained.

The official called “not to underestimate the risks” and urged the population to test themselves. And he added that he recommended that at “land or sea entry points of bordering countries, PCRs be carried out even if travelers are vaccinated to favor transit between countries that have an incidence of less than 75 cases per one hundred thousand inhabitants in recent years. 14 days. In our region, we are all in a favorable epidemiological situation, closely monitoring it. ”

“We redouble the message of the importance of getting vaccinated, starting the vaccination schedules, completing the schedules. Vaccination of people between 18 and 39 years old has been scheduled, and we need to complete the vaccination schedules and advance with the reinforcements, always maintaining the care measures, “he insisted.

Vaccination schedule

“In November we are vaccinating people over 3 years old, we are giving third doses and we begin reinforcements with the aim of accelerating that strategy. We are seeing what is happening in Europe. Argentina is not comparable with the countries of the Northern Hemisphere, it has characteristics of their vaccination campaign is different. We have a more favorable situation and an opportunity to advance with the vaccination campaign to minimize the risks, “he highlighted in another part of the conference.

In addition, he detailed that the country has already exceeded the coverage “of 80 percent with one dose of the entire population and 63 percent with two doses” while “in those over 50 we have coverage of 93 and 80 percent. “.

“We have come a long way with adolescents: 70 percent already have a dose and more than 40 percent the complete scheme, and we have exceeded 50 percent of children from 3 to 11 years with a dose and 17 percent with two doses. Working in that direction will minimize the chances of facing a situation like the one that is happening in the Northern Hemisphere, “he said.

On this point, he revealed that “December is going to be the month of the second doses” so he requested that “all the people who did not complete their schedule go to be vaccinated.” “We estimate that there are around 7 million people who should be able to receive the second dose,” he said.

“Right now there are 6 times more third doses and boosters in the world than first doses in poor countries. We call on everyone to do concrete things, so that vaccines reach Africa, so that access is equitable It is a collective work and a global problem. No one is saved alone, “he concluded.

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