Vaccination impact registering in Panama in spite of naysayers

The impact of vaccination on the control of the pandemic is already being felt in Panama in spite of misinformation spread by anti-vaxers.

The country is registering a decrease crease in the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Since vaccination began in January, until Monday, 66.6% of the population had received at least one dose, and 49.6%, two doses, according to data from the Ministry of Health.

Scientists indicate that the completely favorable impact is expected when 80% of the population is reached with two doses applied, in November.

Xavier Sáez-Llorens , infectologist, pediatrician, and advisor to the Covid-19 Panama Vaccine Research Consortium, said that vaccination is the main factor in the decline in numbers, as well as compliance with biosecurity measures and that an estimate of the 40% of the population suffered from Covid-19 before being vaccinated.

Epidemiological reports from the Ministry of Health (Minsa) indicate that in the most recent epidemiological week (August 29 to September 4), 3,316 cases of Covid-19 were registered in the country, 21.41% less than those recorded by the previous week (August 22 to 28), when 4,219 new infections were added.

Another indicator of the pandemic is the decrease in the number of hospitalized: in this last week there were 348 hospitalized (253 in ward and 95 in intensive care units or ICU), and the previous week, 382 (284 in ward and 98 in ICU ).

The most recent report from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) – published in August – indicated that the admissions of patients to ICUs per week are lower in 2021 compared to 2020. This year they have remained at around 100 patients on average and last year they exceeded 150.

This week deaths also decreased, 38 were reported and the previous week there were 40. The figures show that in the epidemiological week between August 8 and 14, 53 people died and in the following week (August 15 to 21).

The Minsa authorities and consulting scientists hope to have a completely favorable impact on the pandemicember, when at least 80% of the population will have received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The numbers of the Expanded Program of Immunization of the Minsa specify that until yesterday 66.6% of the population had received at least one dose, and 49.6%, two doses.

Jorge Luis Prosperi, a member of the Health Advisory Council and a specialist in public health, agreed with Sáez-Llorens on the factors that are influencing the decline in epidemiological figures.

For Prosperi, in a few months, there will be favorable control of the pandemic, as long as the vaccination rate can be maintained.

Panamanian scientists and Minsa authorities agree that vaccines protect against serious illness, hospitalization, and death.

Despite the indications of Panamanian scientists, there is a group of the population that argues that “group immunity” or “collective” is impossible to achieve with a vaccine that does not immunize unless everyone is vaccinated at the same time.