Now, 30.7% of Reunion Island’s residents have been vaccinated against Covid-19, it was announced in a press release Thursday, August 5, from the regional health agency.

Still not enough

Since the start of the vaccination campaign, 361,877 Réunions have received at least one injection (or 42% of the total population) and 262,543 Réunions have a full vaccination schedule (30.7% of the total population). In all, 600,381 doses were administered in the department.

According to the ARS, this vaccination coverage is still in place “Inadequate to respond to the epidemic and advance towards herd immunity (80% of the vaccinated population)”.

Prevent severe forms

In its press release, ARS believes that the face of it “Vaccination is the only fortress recognized as an increasingly contagious and potentially very dangerous or even fatal disease, and the only fortress recognized as safe and effective enough to prevent severe forms of the disease and control transmission of the virus.”

Strong infection of variants

In the section, the appearance of variants, in particular Beta and Delta, “Indisputably, several weeks ago, they increased their infection with the virus”, identifies the regional health agency, which states that “The delta variant is likely to be at least three times as infectious as the original virus, without respecting barrier gestures and without the benefit of vaccination.”

In Reunion, the delta variant accounts for nearly half of the positive cases. “It will undoubtedly continue to develop in the coming days to the point of becoming dominant.”, confirms ARS who adds that “The level of contamination has never been higher, with a daily average of more than 500 positive cases in the past seven days.”

Click here to find the full press release from ARS about the vaccine’s efficacy and safety.