Bhutan immunizes more than 60% of the population in one week – ZAP

Bhutan vaccinated 62% of its population against covid-19 in just one week, applying 469,664 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine donated by India to the population, making it the country with the fastest vaccination program in the world.

Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of the country – which borders China and India and has 23% of its population below the poverty line -, is a doctor. A 21-day quarantine was decreed for anyone entering the country, a contact tracking plan was created and ‘kits’ were distributed with disinfectants, masks and painkillers, donated by India.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck launched an assistance fund – involving hoteliers, farmers and members of Parliament – of 19 million dollars (15.9 million euros) that benefited 34 thousand Bhutanese, in a country whose total population is 778 thousand .

Since the start of the pandemic, the country has 887 cases and one death, counting the country with only 337 doctors and a machine to test samples of the virus. The fight against the virus and the vaccination program counted on the help of a corps of De-Suung volunteers – Guardians of Peace -, who reached the most remote areas of the country.