Dominican Republic has vaccinated half its adult population against Covid-19

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Dominican Republic has vaccinated more than half of its adult population against Covid-19, according to data released Wednesday by the Ministry of Public Health. The figures show that 50.2% have already been immunized, while 65.5% have received the first dose.

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Of the country’s 32 provinces, La Altagracia, where the tourist resort of Punta Cana is located, tops the list since 100% of its population over 18 years of age has received the first dose and 78.6% the second. In contrast, in the capital, Santo Domingo, 70.9% have been vaccinated, and 53.7% have completed the process, Health indicated.

According to the official portal Vacúnate RD, 4,036,927 people have completed vaccination in the nation, while 5,473,614 have received the first dose.

A total of 304,572 have received a third booster dose, the portal added.

The Dominican Republic plans to vaccinate 7.8 million adults and minors between 12 and 17 years of age, although the government has not specified the number of adolescents to be inoculated.

Last February, the country began the vaccination campaign, mostly with Sinovac, and since mid-June, has also been administering the Pfizer vaccine to minors aged 12 and over.

The Dominican government has encouraged the population to get a third booster dose as a preventive measure given the rapid spread of the delta variant throughout the world.

To encourage the population to get vaccinated, the Government has promised to lift the curfew in provinces that exceed 70% vaccination with two doses. The first province to exceed this goal is La Altagracia (east), where the tourist resorts of Punta Cana and Bavaro, the most important in the country, are located.

The Dominican Republic has a total of 340,498 cases of covid-19 and 3,945 deaths due to the disease.