PAHO urges Latin America and Caribbean to remain vigilant, adaptable to COVID-19

As the coronavirus continues to actively spread in the Latin America and Caribbean region, countries are being encouraged to remain vigilant in monitoring their respective situations and must prepare to adapt their responses to contain the spread of COVID-19.

This warning from Assistant Director of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr Jarbas Barbosa, came during Wednesday’s weekly information session on the rapidly evolving situation of COVID-19 in the region of the Americas and PAHO’s response to the pandemic.

Noting that delivery of a safe and effective vaccine will be costly, Barbosa disclosed that the latest projection for the region is that vaccinating 20 per cent of the population will cost more than US$2 billion.

“While these figures are high, investing in vaccines is smart and necessary. This is why PAHO has been working with member states to ensure that every country that is interested will have access to the COVID vaccine,” Barbosa shared.

To this end, PAHO has partnered with the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union and a number of other top-level financial institutions to secure the necessary funding to ensure that low-income countries in the region are not excluded whenever a vaccine becomes available.

Meanwhile, Director of the Department of Communicable Diseases, PAHO, Dr Marcos Espinal, has warned countries to remain vigilant against rumours and conspiracy theories already spreading across the region that have the potential to disrupt vaccination efforts and impede the COVID-19 response.

“We call for countries across our region to help build the trust needed for the upcoming vaccines by providing transparent and accurate information about the vaccine developing process as well as the safety and efficacy. Above all, we must always stand up against the misinformation and rumours that can have impact on people’s perception and attitude towards a COVID-19 vaccine.

“This is not only wasting valuable time and resources but it will also cost lives,” he cautioned.

- Christopher Serju 

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