Concerns Rise Over COVID-19 Vaccine availability โas Uptake Slows
A declining rate of COVID-19 vaccinations, coupled with reports of expired doses and a planned end to the winter campaign, is raising questions about the future availability of the vaccine.โค While officials state the โขvaccine was accessible throughout the 7-month winter campaign, clinics and municipalities are reportedly โฃfacing issues with supply.
As of this report, 719,369 people have received a COVID-19 vaccine out of a total population of โ3,988,537, representing 18.04% coverage.Vaccination rates are higher among those with โchronic pathologies, with 22% having been vaccinated.Health workers โฃalso โshow stronger uptake, with 26% coverage in the public sector (96,052 professionals vaccinated) and 28% in the private sectorโฃ (37,492 people immunized).
However, a specialist at an unnamed clinic warns that waning immunity is a growing concern. “Susceptible people begin to accumulate. A longer time from โthe last dose, less memory antibodies are generated and theโข risk of infections increases.” Theโฃ specialist predicts aโ potential COVID-19 outbreak once winter viruses subside, noting that whileโ most cases will likely be mild due to existing immunity, vulnerable populations -โ older adults โand individuals with โขcomorbidities -โข remain at risk of hospitalization if they haven’t received recent boosters.
Figures from the Ministry of Health indicate a important slowdown โin vaccination rates. Dailyโ vaccinations averaged 8,460 during the first half of 2025, but have fallen to just 396 so far this semester.
Adding to the concerns, data obtained through transparency requests reveals that between 2021 and 2024, a total of 5,054,201 doses of COVID-19 and โคinfluenzaโ vaccines โexpired, with 3,078,385 of those being โCOVID-19 vaccines.this suggests potential issues with distribution, coverage, and stockโค management.
Undersecretary of Public Health, Andrea โฃAlbagli, explained thatโ the winter campaign is nearing its conclusion. “This week,according to the projectionโค made by the healthโ authority,we are closing the winter campaign and,therefore,the distribution andโฃ submission of this vaccine; โculminating like thisโ the โperiod enabled for this 2025.” Albagli stated the vaccine was administered alongside the influenza โฃvaccine to encourage uptake, establishing an โคannual โฃvaccination strategy similar to that used for influenza. โขShe further clarified that the Ministry ofโค Health “claimedโ to have dosesโ during the entire period that lasts the winter campaign,” which spanned approximately โค7 months.
Albagli attributes the shiftโ in strategy to the reduced health impact of SARS-CoV-2, which currently accounts for approximately 1% โof circulating viruses. The virus has also fallen โin the ranking of causes of death, moving from โขthe leading cause between 2020 and 2022,โ to 13th in 2023 โขand 28th in 2024.