Chile - with the world's third highest vaccination rate, yet infection rebounded – a lesson the world should learn from (2 of 2)

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

ワクチン接種率世界３位、それでも感染再拡大　世界がチリに学ぶべき教訓 (2 of 2)

2021.04.16 Fri posted at 13:33 JST

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自身もこの夏に感染して数週間入院したというアルバレス氏。同州のビーチは大勢の人でにぎわい、州当局が簡易検査場を設けても、「休暇中にわずらわされたくない」という理由で検査を受けてもらえなかったと振り返る。

「みんなに２つの勘違いがあった。自分たちはワクチン接種に関して中南米の筆頭国なので、国内でも海外でもどこへでも旅行できると考えた。ウイルスに感染するリスクは多分なくなったと認識して対策を緩めた。それが最悪の事態を招いた」とアルバレス氏は述べ、症例数の多い欧州などの国へ旅行した国民が多かったことも、急増の一因になったとの見方を示した。

大晦日のパーティーでは主に若者の集団感染が相次ぎ、首都サンティアゴでもそれまで比較的少なかった症例数が急増に転じた。

 当局は再び厳格な対策を強いられ、対面の授業が再開されていた学校はまた閉鎖されて、スーパーマーケットのような最低限必要な商店や事業所のみが営業継続を認められた。３月下旬からは全土で１３００万人を対象とするロックダウン（都市封鎖）が再び始まった。ただ、それほど厳格には徹底されておらず、首都では今も大勢の人が出歩いている。

 エンリケ・パリス保健相は１３日、１２月に一部の規制は緩和されたが、感染防止策を守らなくてもいいとは言っていないと強調。「ワクチンが唯一の答えだとは言っていない。ワクチンは接種しなければならないが、同時にウイルスが拡散しないよう、移動制限、マスク着用、手洗い、対人距離の確保などは引き続き心掛けなければならない」とした。

 ワクチン自体にも問題があった。チリがワクチンの普及に成功した一因は、政府がどんなワクチンであれ、入手できるものは確保しようとしたことだった。だがシノバック製のワクチンは、ブラジルの臨床試験で有効率５０．４％にとどまった。トルコでの臨床試験では８３．５％の有効性が認められている。

 それが症例数の急増につながったのかどうか判断するのはまだ時期尚早だが、ワクチン接種を受けながら新型コロナに感染して入院した有名人の症例もあり、国民は不安を募らせている。

 サンティアゴのセレスティーノ・アオス大司教は、検査で陽性反応が出て１０日に入院し、１３日に退院した。同居していた司教補佐も感染した。２人ともワクチン接種を受けていた。

中国疾病予防コントロールセンター（ＣＣＤＣ）の高福主任は１０日、中国製ワクチンの有効性が期待を下回っていることを認めた。

Translation

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Alvarez said he himself was infected this summer and was hospitalized for several weeks. He recalled that the state's beaches were crowded with people, and even though state officials set up a simple checking station, people weren't examined because they didn't want to be bothered during the holidays.

"Everyone had two misconceptions. We thought we could travel anywhere in Latin America because we were the leading country in Latin America. We thought that the risk of getting a virus was probably gone and we relaxed our measures. That brought about the worst thing ", said Alvarez, who expressed the view that the large number of people who traveled to countries such as Europe, where the number of cases was high, also contributed to the surge.

At the parties on New Year's Eve, one after another, cluster outbreaks mainly occurred among young people. In the capital Santiago the number of cases which had been relatively small until then, turned to a rapid increase.

Authorities were once again forced to take strict measures, schools where face-to-face lessons had resumed were closed again, and only the basic need shops and businesses, such as supermarkets, were allowed to continue operations. From late March, lockdowns (city blockades) targeting 13 million people across the country began again. However, the restriction was not thorough, and many people were still walking around in the capital.

Health Minister Enrique Paris emphasized on the 13th that while some regulations set up in December were relaxed, he had not said that not sticking to infection control measures was okay. He supposed that, "I'm not saying that vaccines are the only answer. Vaccines must be given, but at the same time, movement restrictions, masks, hand washing, and interpersonal distance must be kept in mind so as to prevent the spread of the virus. ".

There was also a problem with the vaccine itself. One of the reasons Chile's success in spreading vaccines was that the government tried to secure whatever vaccine was available. However, the Sinovac vaccine was only effective at 50.4% in Brazilian clinical trials. Clinical trials in Turkey had shown 83.5% efficacy.

It was still premature to determine if this had led to a surge in the number of cases, but there were cases that some celebrities were hospitalized with the new corona even after vaccination, thus raising public anxiety.

Archbishop Celestino Aos of Santiago was hospitalized on the 10th and discharged on the 13th after a positive test. An assistant bishop who lived with him was also infected. Both had received vaccination previously.

Director Gao Fu (高福) of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) confirmed on the 10th that the effectiveness of the Chinese vaccine was less than expected.

              So, Chile is an interesting studying case on the control of Covid-19 pandemic even with the vaccine is on hand.