The fact that in United States vaccines against the covid 19 be free and without further restrictions has been massing a growing phenomenon that already generates outrage and alerts in this country: the vaccination tourism.
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States like California, Florida, New York and Texas they were obliged, beginning this year, to begin to limit the free delivery of doses – since at this time they are still insufficient to cover the entire population – to people who apply for them as temporary residents or from other areas of the country.
It is worth noting that the uneven advance of the vaccination against this virus in Latin American and Caribbean countries has led many people to organize express trips to this country, to be immunized.
The media, in fact, have been reporting cases of politicians and public figures in the region who have decided not to wait for the shifts assigned to their countries.
One of the most famous is the candidate for the presidency of Peru, Hernando de Soto, 79, who admitted to having gone to the United States to be vaccinated.
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In his defense he said he did so bearing in mind that for the campaign he must travel throughout the territory and be in contact with many people, and when immunization had already begun in his country for people his age; to add that in any case it did not deprive of dose to anybody in Peru.
Similar arguments have been made by public figures in the region, some of whom have publicized the fact, while lamenting that they have not been able to obtain the vaccine in their own countries.
This is the case of the popular 73-year-old Mexican presenter Juan José Origel, who in late January posted an image of himself on his Twitter account while receiving the vaccine in Miami (Florida): “Already vaccinated !! Thank you #usa What sadness that my country did not give me this security !!!”.
Needless to say, this one “Vaccination tourism” it is given by the liberality with which in some states they are applying doses, based on guidelines such as those of the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC); according to these, “the Federal Government offers the vaccine free of charge to all people living in the United States, regardless of their immigration status or health insuranceIn other words, it does not require the presentation of proof of residency, citizenship or insurance.
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Paradoxically, this opening, which not only attracts foreigners but mobilizes citizens of this country from one state to another in search of dose, reduces possibilities for immigrants waiting for a vaccine.
According to a BBC Mundo report on the subject, published in early February, the Florida Department of Health reported that as of January 27, just over 52,000 vaccinated people were registered as people living “outside of the state “.
Vaccine tourism is not allowed. It’s hateful, people shouldn’t come here to get a vaccine and fly out.
Faced with outrage generated among citizens who have failed to schedule appointments for vaccination, the authorities began to take action, such as requiring a proof of residency to anyone applying for the vaccine.
“Vaccine tourism is not allowed. It’s detestable. People shouldn’t come here to get a vaccine and fly out,” Florida Emergency Director Jared Moskowitz said in a statement.
The situation varies from state to state, and for this reason even travel agencies are advertising packages in Louisiana and Arizona, which do not require proof of residency or citizenship and provide the opportunity to vaccinate at health centers and in some pharmacy chains and even supermarket chains. It is clear, however, that citizen pressure can motivate the imposition of restrictions at any time.
A nascent trend
This phenomenon is not unique to America. The flow of people around the world looking for vaccines is generally given to developed countries, which have high dose availability and are even able to sell them to individuals.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) Advocates for free access to vaccines, regardless of people’s condition or migration status, not all like initiatives such as a Mumbai-based travel agency (Gem Tours) that offered tour packages from India to the United States and the United Kingdom, to be vaccinated.
Still, the movement is growing, and nations like Russia, Cuba, India, Dubai and Costa Rica they already saw the opportunity to offer sightseeing trips that included the vaccine. Some of them, it is worth mentioning, are in the consolidation stage of this offer.
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