Venezuela is at a Good Pace in the Global COVID-19 Vaccination Rate

According to information from Our World In Data, as of August 26, 2021, Venezuela has been the country with the world highest daily COVID-19 vaccination rate with respect to its population. At the regional Caribbean and Latin American level, Cuba and Venezuela are among the countries with highest rates of immunization.

Venezuela exceeds in that period, on average, the vaccination per population rates of the Western nations that have had greater and better access to vaccines, such as Canada, the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has pointed out that in Venezuela:

• 9,342,817 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been applied.
• 32.55% of the population has received at least one dose.
• 11% of the population is already immunized to COVID-19 with two doses.

These figures are praiseworthy in regard to what a country is capable of doing despite the obstacles arising from the blockade imposed by the United States and the European Union. It is also necessary to remember that the vaccine lots that the Venezuelan government paid through the COVAX mechanism have been delayed due to a sabotage of the country’s financial transactions by foreign banking entities.

A mathematical exercise would show that, had the almost six million single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines that were originally requested from COVAX arrived, the current number of fully vaccinated people in Venezuela would triple, to an average of 31% of the population vaccinated with two doses.

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Accelerating the national Immunization Campaign
Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez informed that, starting this week, the immunization rate would be tripled, with the aim of reaching the goal of vaccinating 70% of the population, this would mean that 22 million people would be vaccinated before the end of the month of October.

To achieve this, the Venezuelan government is implementing the following streamlining measures:

• Individuals between 30 and 39 years of age can request an appointment for vaccination through a message by mobile phone, sending their identification number to 74224.
• Adults over 60 years of age who have not yet had the first dose have the possibility, until September 5, to attend the vaccination points without prior appointment.
• Starting September 5, unvaccinated people between the ages of 50 and 59 will also be able to get their doses without prior appointment.

Regarding the vaccination centers, Vice President Rodríguez explained that “the CDIs [Comprehensive Diagnostic Centers] have 179 vaccination locations throughout the country; this does not affect the normal functioning of the CDIs. These 179 vaccination centers have been added to the 452 vaccination locations set up in different health centers and other places equipped for this purpose throughout Venezuela.”