Just over half of the population in neighboring Sonora, Mexico, is fully vaccinated going into this holiday season.
More than 3.3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Sonora as of this week, according to state officials. And nearly 1.6 million people — about 53% of the population — are fully vaccinated.
Of those, 53,000 adults over 60 have also received a booster shot, state delegates for the federal agency Bienestar said in a press release. Additional doses for older adults are still going out across the state, and boosters for medical professionals and teachers will start in January.
"The intensity of the virus naturally increases this time of year with the family get togethers, gatherings parties and everything else," Sonora Gov. Alfonso Durazo said. "So once again, a call for us all to help. It doesn't mean cancelling gatherings, but we have to observe without fail health recommendations."
Adults who are not yet fully vaccinated should also attend vaccination campaigns planned for the coming weeks, officials said.
With 53% of the population vaccinated, Sonora is catching up to Arizona, where about 56% of people are fully vaccinated. In Mexico, the vaccination rate is about 57%, compared to about 62% in the United States.
