The Ministry of Health ruled out following the example of Austria, country that confined citizenship for 20 days, due to the increase in infections by COVID-19, and established the compulsory vaccination by February 2022.
The Chilean health authority indicated that it will choose to apply other measures, such as increase the age range for which booster doses will be required to activate the mobility pass.
Three weeks ago much of the country’s vaccinations had long waiting linesOn the other hand, today the panorama is quite different, with a markedly lower number of people.
In Chile, the advance of vaccination in people over 18 years of age, at least with the first dose, reaches a 85,6%, according information of the Department of Health Statistics and Information (Deis).
While, about 65% of Austria’s population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, one of the rates lowest in the European Union, where cases are increasing. As collected The world, the infection rate is one of the highest on the continent, with almost a thousand cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
“Each country has to evaluate its health situation and the response of the population to vaccination,” said the Undersecretary of Public Health, Paula Daza, adding that “the health situation in Austria in relation to vaccination is very different.”
For his part, the Minister of Health, Enrique Paris, stated that “the vaccines we are using, because there are several brands, have been approved in emergency, therefore, we cannot force anyone“.
However, the Ministry of Health is evaluating greater incentives in the mobility pass, so that the unvaccinated are part of the process, in addition to expanding the age range in which the third dose will be required to activate this vaccination card.
Regarding the plans to encourage those who resist the vaccine, Minister Paris said that they are evaluating “that they have less freedom or who have to undergo exams, as they have done in other countries ”.
Specialists, on the other hand, believe that restricting freedoms would be complex, unless there are laws that support the measures. “What is missing most is stimulate vaccination through risk communication and through greater freedoms such as the mobility pass ”, said the Dr. Michel Serri, infectologist at the Redsalud Clinic in Vitacura.
While Austria reached a record 15,145 daily cases, Chile reported 2,679 this Friday. Indicators like these, experts say, are decisive in deciding whether or not to apply greater restrictions to those who have not been vaccinated.
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