Betting on the third dose against Omicron

While most countries and Dominican authorities are betting on the booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to face the imminent attacks of the omicron variant, the Dominican population remains apathetic in completing the protection scheme that this would provide—the third dose.

Only about 18% of the Dominican population over 18 years of age has received the third dose or booster, thus, from the initial goal of 7.5 million people to be immunized. Currently, less than one million 400 thousand Dominicans have the protection of three doses of vaccine against the Covid-19 virus.

Low demand
The interest of the population in demanding vaccination decreases despite the alerts issued by both the Public Health authorities and specialists about the imminent arrival in the country of the omicron variant detected for the first time in South Africa and whose rapid expansion throughout the countries It has come to the attention of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Until the first fortnight of this month, more than six million Dominicans over 18 years of age in the country had yet to receive the third dose of the Covid vaccine, while more than 1,800,000 have yet to receive their second dose.

To this is added, more than one million 200 thousand children between the ages of five and 11 who do not have any dose of vaccine and the population group from 12 to 17 years, which according to official data, until a few weeks ago, less than 50 % had placed the second dose.

From September to date
In the last three months, from September 20 to date, the booster dose has been given to 537,560 people; the second dose is 838,942, and the first dose is 926,844 Dominicans.

Doses applied
Until the 15th of this month, the National Vaccination Plan against Covid-19, which began in February of this year, registers 13,975,553 million doses applied, 6,916,929 corresponding to the first dose; 5,667,100 at a second dose and 1,391,524 at booster dose.

Through samples sequenced in international laboratories, the country has reported the circulation in the territory of the alpha, gamma, and delta strains of concern but is preparing before the arrival of Ómicron.

FIGURES

Of interest
Other variants of the Covid of interest circulate in the country are mu, detected for the first time in Colombia, and recently identified in Denmark and Louisiana, United States.

Advance
The omicron variant is the most recent one declared of concern by the scientific community. It had been detected in 77 countries as of mid-week, but the WHO does not rule out that it is in almost all nations due to its rapid expansion.

Mild

At the moment, the symptoms of Omicron have been described as milder than the previous ones.