What's behind the Dominican Republic's new surge in Covid-19 cases?

Dr. Jorge Marte, director of the Center for Diagnosis, Advanced Medicine and Telemedicine (CEDIMAT), one of the main hospitals in Santo Domingo, points to the spread of new variants and the reopening of schools as significant factors in the country's surging case numbers. The country's public health ministry quickly sought to wrest control of the new spread, announcing on Oct 8 new precautionary measures requiring people aged 13 and older to show a vaccination card or negative PCR test in order to access public places, like schools and workplaces. Proof of vaccination would also be required for entrance to restaurants, gyms and public transportation. But those measures could only go so far, according to Marte, who says that despite the introduction of booster shots, the country's overall vaccination campaign has been insufficient. Less than 50% of the total Dominican population has been fully vaccinated, according to JHU. The government had aimed to vaccinate 70% of the country's eligible population with at least two doses.