In the second half of May, we reached a milestone in the COVID-19 vaccination process in Peru: we became one of the first countries in Latin America, after Chile and Colombia, to prioritize the vaccination of people with certain mental health diagnoses and neurodevelopmental conditions.
A little over two months after this prioritization, how has vaccination progressed among this population group? We spoke with official sources from the Ministry of Health to learn about the updated figures, as well as the achievements and challenges that this process has brought.
First, we would like to remind you that four comorbidities were prioritized starting in May, given that there is greater scientific evidence regarding the vulnerability of people living with these conditions to the COVID-19 virus:
Vaccination began with a schedule based on the last digit of the national ID number (DNI), from May 21 to June 10, in order to prevent crowds. Initially, psychiatric hospitals were designated as vaccination sites for people with mental health diagnoses. However, this was corrected a few days later following various statements from civil society organizations, allowing prioritized individuals to visit the vaccination center closest to their homes and receive preferential attention.
FIGURES TO DATE
As of July 7, 2021, 57,662 people with mental health diagnoses and neurodevelopmental conditions have been vaccinated nationwide, according to official figures provided by MINSA. However, only 22,314 of these people have received both doses. This means that 62%, equivalent to 35,348 people, have only received the first dose and have not returned to receive their second dose.
On the other hand, Lima is the region of the country reporting the highest vaccination figures for this population group. Likewise, most regions nationwide have also shown good progress in recent weeks, proportionally to their population size. However, the regions of Madre de Dios and Ucayali are lagging behind compared to the others, with only 47 and 95 vaccinated people to date, respectively.
CHALLENGES AND NEXT STEPS
Today, the main challenge is to encourage more people to complete their vaccination schedule: let us remember that only by receiving both vaccine doses can people achieve maximum protection against the COVID-19 virus. If you are reading this note and you are one of the people who have not yet returned for your second dose, please make sure to do so. Go to your nearest vaccination center with your vaccination card and complete your doses to obtain the greatest protection against the virus, take care of your health, and protect those you love the most.
Likewise, if you live with one of these diagnoses or conditions and have not yet gone to get vaccinated, please do not hesitate to do so. The schedule initially established was created to ensure better organization, but this does not mean that you cannot get vaccinated because the dates have already passed: the prioritization of mental health comorbidities, as well as physical health comorbidities, remains permanent and applies throughout the entire vaccination process.
In recent weeks, dozens of people have shared their positive vaccination experiences through our social media channels (you can find them in our Instagram highlights). Do not be afraid: remember that vaccines save lives. If you live outside Lima and have not been vaccinated due to a lack of organization or misinformation from vaccination centers, please report it to us through our social media channels so that we can support you. Likewise, remember that by clicking here you can review the article we prepared with all the information you need to know before getting vaccinated, including the documents you need to present.
Regarding the next steps, very good news is that starting on July 24, vaccination will begin for people aged 12 to 17 with the same comorbidities that have been prioritized to date. There is still no official statement from the Ministry of Health regarding the inclusion of other mental health diagnoses in the prioritization of comorbidities; however, we will continue sharing any updates through our platforms. It is important to highlight that vaccination in our country has been progressing at a good pace in recent weeks, which will contribute to having many more Peruvians vaccinated against COVID-19 soon.
We would like to conclude this note by reiterating our gratitude to all the allied institutions that joined our request and made it possible for the vaccination of these thousands of people to become a reality: together, we save lives. Likewise, we applaud the tremendous effort and commitment of the Ministry of Health’s Directorate of Mental Health, led by Dr. Yuri Cutipé, whose members have been behind this entire vaccination process and who strongly advocated from the very beginning for the prioritization of this population group to become a reality.
#EveryoneForMentalHealth
