Chile expects 'herd immunity' against Covid-19 by midyear

Santiago, Feb 25 (IANS) Chile expects to have 80 per cent of its population vaccinated against the novel coronavirus disease by midyear, achieving so-called "herd immunity," Health Minister Enrique Paris said.

Health officials estimate the bulk of the target population, about 15 million Chileans, could be inoculated by June, Paris told local media on Wednesday.

By Tuesday, the healthcare system had vaccinated 19 per cent of those in high-risk groups, and the experience of other countries has shown that with 25 per cent of the population vaccinated, there is "a decline in new patients and those who are admitted to intensive care units," the Xinhua news agency quoted Paris as saying.

According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health, 807,872 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the South American country since the first case was detected here on March 3, and 20,173 people have died from the disease.