Elderly Chileans line up for booster jabs to reinforce CoronaVac vaccine

Booster

11/08/2021 21:07

SANTIAGO, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Chile on Wednesday began
administering booster shots to those already inoculated with
Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine in a bid to lock in early success
following one of the world's fastest mass vaccination drives.
    Lines of elderly citizens eager to participate in the
campaign began forming at vaccination centers in neighborhoods
across the capital Santiago on a cool winter morning in the
Southern Hemisphere.
    "They arrived very early, like on an election day, very well
dressed, very happy," said Rodolfo Carter, mayor of La Florida
on the outskirts of the city. "I think it is a great sign of
hope." 
    Chile's blistering campaign has seen upwards of 67% of its
population fully vaccinated, predominantly with Sinovac's
 SVA.O  CoronaVac. But authorities last week said studies had
shown a booster was necessary to shore up immunity.
    "Studies have shown that precisely at approximately 6 months
there is a decrease (of antibodies) and that is why we have
decided ...to give this booster dose," Health minister Enrique
Paris told reporters.
    The South American nation on Wednesday began offering a dose
of Oxford's Astrazeneca  AZN.L  vaccine to citizens aged 86 and
older who received their initial shots before March 31.
    Chile joins the United States, Germany, France and Israel in
giving the booster shots, despite a plea by the World Health
Organization to hold off until more people around the world can
get their first shot.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2PC0HG
    Dr. Fernando Leanes, a WHO representative in Chile, told
Reuters that there was not yet sufficient data to support the
use of booster shots.
    "With limited supply, you have to consider the global
perspective," Leanes said. "There are countries that have not
been able to complete the vaccination of their health workers
and that is a danger for all countries."
    Leanes said the WHO was nonetheless in regular contact with
Chilean health authorities and otherwise praised Chile's efforts
in research and in donating vaccines to neighboring countries. 
    Chilean Omar Salazar, 90, was happy to wait in line for his
third shot early on Wednesday. He said every little bit counts
at his age.
    "I think it will help me live a little longer. We will
continue the same with the mask and  handwashing  anyway."

 (Reporting by Reuters TV; additional reporting by Aislinn
Laing; writing by Dave Sherwood
Editing by Alistair Bell)
 ((dave.sherwood@thomsonreuters.com;))