“The country should celebrate its Christmas holidays with peace of mind. That is achieved with vaccination,” says Dr. Daniel Rivera, the country’s public health minister.
People are again letting their guard down and the number of vaccinated is again sliding down. including those who are not vaccinated.
Careless attitude of people in wearing masks and following social distancing norms is said to also be behind the new surge in cases nationwide. Thousands continue to be against the vaccination.
So far, there are 5,385,106 with two doses and 6,778,584 with one dose, in a country with a population of 10.8 million inhabitants.
Public Health Minister Daniel Rivera is vehemently asking people to go get vaccinated. He is adamant this is needed so Dominicans can reach the targeted 70% of the population and the country can spend the Christmas holidays with peace of mind, he told Hoy newspaper.
To reach the 70% target, 700,000 more people need to get vaccinated. This means 270,000 more people in Greater Santo Domingo and 120,000 more people in Santiago province, says the minister. Espaillat province (Moca) reaches the 70% goal with only 1,500 more people with the second dose.
The government says it is stepping up the enforcement of the vaccine mandate to include those with two doses as of 1 December. He says the measures are non-negotiable.
The minister urged that businesses continue to insist that people present the vaccination card to enter. He made the remark after Listin Diario reported on businesses slacking off requesting the card.
Meanwhile, Diario Libre reports that concurrently with the spread of Covid, influenza is sweeping through the country. National District senator Faride Raful tested positive for influenza.
Read more in Spanish:
Hoy
Listin Diario
Diario Libre
El Caribe
8 November 2021