There Is A Case Of COVID-19 Infection With The Delta Variant, Chile Increases The Handling Budget Of 2 Billion Dollars

COVID-19 vaccine illustration. (Wikimedia Commons / bratislavskysamospravnykraj)

JAKARTA - Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Monday announced an additional USD 2 billion in funds to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Pinera said the funds would be used to purchase five million more doses of the vaccine, strengthen primary care facilities and testing, tracing and sequencing capabilities for the virus genome.

"The fight against COVID-19 is not over and no one knows when it will end", Pinera explained during a health briefing. Chile is one of the countries that excels in the speed of administering the COVID-19 vaccine in the world.

Chile has raised concerns about the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, after last week confirming cases of the variant last week and causing a spike in transmission elsewhere.

Despite experiencing a lull in cases after an acrimonious second wave, the Health Chief has tightened health checks at the border and urged people to wear thicker masks.

Chile has vaccinated 82 percent of its 15 million target population with at least one dose, as well as 70 percent fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This week, the vaccination targets those under the age of 18 to 12.

Pinera said Chile would immediately vaccinate children aged three to 11 as soon as regulatory approval is given.

Studies show that two doses of Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines, both used in Chile, are widely effective against the Delta variant which was first identified in India and is now rampaging around the world.

Questions have been raised about whether Sinovac Biotech's CoronaVac, which is primarily used in Chile, can protect against a variant that has also been linked to more severe disease.

Last week, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control said the antibodies triggered by China's two unnamed COVID-19 vaccines were less effective against Delta than the other variants, although they still offered protection.

Also last week, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said China's COVID-19 vaccine 'has shown itself to be inadequate', pointing to Chile's experience as evidence.

Meanwhile, Chile's Health Minister Enrique Paris said PM Draghi should correct himself, insisting that the Sinovac vaccine was effective.

"It really bothers me that European authorities say vaccines don't work here without having scientific information to back them up", Paris critiques.

Separately, Head of Public Health Paula Daza said it was very likely Chile would issue a third dose to its citizens, potentially a different vaccine than their previous injection.

"That may be a way to increase the effectiveness of the vaccine", she said.