Bhutan Vaccinates 90% of Its Adults in a Week

Many countries are struggling to encourage all their citizens to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. The tiny country of Bhutan set an incredible example by vaccinating almost all of its adults in just a week.

It’s home to about 750,000 people who live in towns and villages spread across the hilly country. Some villages can only be reached by helicopter. In March, after India donated 550,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, Bhutan was able to vaccinate 93% of its adults in just 16 days.

Many people say the leadership of the country’s king was extremely important. But so was the country’s organization. Bhutan only has about 350 doctors and roughly 3,000 health workers. So the country built a force of about 30,000 volunteers to help out. For the second dose, the country was even better prepared. Using vaccines donated by several different countries, Bhutan vaccinated over 90% of its adults in just a week. The country is now working to vaccinate 12 to 17-year olds.