Bolivia city gives food incentives for COVID jabs

Bolivian authorities in El Alto are seeking to increase the amount of people who come forward for COVID-19 vaccinations by offering food incentives. The vaccination campaign is taking place as a new batch of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Bolivia that will be applied to people waiting for the second dose.

The mayor's office of El Alto announced that people who get inoculated should be given foods such as noodles and rice in exchange. President Arce urged the public to get vaccinated to prevent a fourth wave, to help the country's troubled economy. Bolivia's Health Ministry reported that so far 28% of the population has received two doses and 40% have had their first dose, of a population of 7.1 million people.