Chile restores capital lockdown despite speedy jabs

Chile has restored quarantine restrictions in the Santiago metropolitan region because of rising Covid-19 cases in spite of an expeditious vaccination drive.

The new restrictions take effect at 5am (3am ET) on 13 March and will be reviewed at the end of the month to determine if they will be extended, the health ministry said today.

The quarantine corresponds to phase 2 in Chile's dynamic system of restrictions that moves in line with regional pandemic data.

Chile is vaccinating its population at a record clip, with most supply from Chinese lab Sinovac complemented by Pfizer-BioNTec so far. Around 4.5mn residents have been vaccinated to date, representing 23pc of the population. The country has received 10.9mn vaccines from the two labs, with more en route. About 40,000 have been donated to Ecuador and Paraguay so far in what is likely to be the start of pandemic diplomacy in the region, where vaccines are largely scarce.

Copper mining and other economic sectors deemed essential are exempt from Chile's restrictions.

The renewed restrictions in the Chilean capital come on the eve of 11 April elections for a landmark constitutional convention, governors, mayors and city councils. The unprecedented breadth of the electoral process is compounding fears of further contagion ahead of winter flu season.

Deaths associated with the coronavirus in Chile exceed 21,300 since the outbreak began last year.

By Patricia Garip