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Chile starts fourth vaccine dose as coronavirus cases rise

Posted January 10, 2022 6:00 am

The Associated Press

Luis Urrutia, an 84-year-old retired doctor, waits for his fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot, of AstraZeneca, at the start of a fourth shot booster shot campaign in Santiago, Chile, Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) The Associated Press

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) - Chile is implementing a fourth vaccination dose for some citizens as the number of daily coronavirus infections rises.

President SebastiÃ¡n PiÃ±era was present on Monday when two adults with immunosuppression problems received a fourth vaccination for COVID-19 at a Santiago hospital.

Chile is applying a fourth dose early because the current daily infection rate of 4,000 coronavirus cases could rise to 10,000 or more, PiÃ±era said.

Vaccination with a fourth dose for the immunosuppressed will end on Feb. 7. Then the program will turn to people over 55 years old who had a third dose at least six months ago.

Chile, which has 19 million people, had planned to start with the fourth dose in February. The sharp increase in infections in neighboring Argentina, Bolivia and Peru contributed to its decision to advance the process.

Israel approved a fourth vaccine dose for people most vulnerable to COVID-19, an official said on Dec. 30, becoming one of the first countries to do so as it braced for a wave of infections fueled by the omicron variant.

A COVID-19 virus symbol decorates the window of a bus used to vaccinate people at the start of a forth shot booster campaign in Santiago, Chile, Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) The Associated Press

A woman uses anti-bacterial gel while waiting in line for her third shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, at the start of a booster shot campaign where people can get even a fourth shot in Santiago, Chile, Monday, Jan. 10, 2022. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix) The Associated Press

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