Coronavirus vaccination in Latin America, five months later

Covid-19 vaccination in Latin America began on December 24, when Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico administered their first shots. At the time, with the region appearing to leave the initial horrors of the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, these first jabs in arms represented hope.

Over four months and 108 million shots later, the scenario is less optimistic. Subsequent coronavirus waves cast several countries into turmoil once more and the rollout of vaccines has been patchy at best. Some nations have fared better, while others have barely started administering jabs, highlighting underlying inequality factors that are pervasive throughout Latin America.

Positive outlier

No one in Latin America can beat Chile when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination. Even on a global scale, the country is ranked among the world’s best in terms of immunization coverage. While vaccination increased, however, so did the pandemic. The months of March and April were particularly challenging for Chile, with health experts suggesting the population had let its guard down precisely due to its promising rates of immunization. 

However, with 35.5 percent of the population fully vaccinated, Chile is now beginning to put its head above...