Coronavirus: Chile warns second wave could arrive before vaccine

Chilean Science Minister Andrs Couve warned the country must prepare for a possible second wave (of coronavirus) without vaccine, because the cure will not be available at the end of December or Chile nor in the world.

Couve, interviewed by Radio Cooperativa, assured that they were working at full speed that science allows on a vaccine for those infected.

He reported that applications had already started before the Institute of Public Health (ISP) for vaccine projects, such as the one developed by the US laboratory. Pfizer, who submitted the request last Friday to authorize the use of his vaccine in Chile.

The holder of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation also claimed that it was possible to obtain a sufficient quantity of doses to vaccinate 16 million people thanks to four agreements with laboratories.

He asked to be optimistic about the matter, as there are more than ten vaccine projects that are in phase 3 in different parts of the world and that, he assured, is good news.

Regarding the pandemic, the Ministry of Health today reported 1,119 new infections and 20 new deaths due to the pandemic.

Chile has accumulated 552,864 confirmed cases and 15,430 deaths since the start of its coronavirus outbreak in March.

The ministry explained that to date, 695 patients are hospitalized in intensive care units, of which 575 are connected to mechanical ventilation and 62 are in critical condition.