Bhutan’s COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts and the Evolution of COVID-19 Cases in the Aftermath

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to ravage countries across the world. It has displaced families and impacted economies around the world. Our fight against the pandemic is never ending, but COVID-19 vaccines offer unique promises and opportunities to win this war. As more and more vaccines are approved for use, many countries including Bhutan have started vaccinating their population against the SARS-CoV2 disease. Bhutan has fully vaccinated 61.5% of its people and 11.2% partially including children aged between 12 and 17 years. The country used many strategies to increase vaccine accessibility and availability such as government’s exhaustive efforts to secure enough vaccine doses, careful preparations, use of international partners, and integration of its tradition and culture for wider vaccine acceptance. The protection from vaccines coupled with other public health measures has helped keep the number of COVID-19 cases to a manageable number without straining its health system too much. The success story is a “beacon of hope for the region” as the world looks to rebuild itself from this long exhausting fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.