One of the most vaccinated countries in the world is experiencing a Covid-19 outbreak.
While other nations struggle to secure enough vaccines, the Seychelles is in the enviable position of having already fully immunized more than 61.4% of the population.
But that hasn't been enough to stop the spread of Covid.
Over the past month, case numbers have been rising in the Indian Ocean archipelago, prompting authorities to impose restrictions in the country of 98,000 people. Data released Thursday shows there are more than 2,700 active cases.
Of the current active cases, 33% have been fully vaccinated, according to the Ministry of Health.
On face value, the fact the Seychelles, with such high vaccination coverage, is still facing an outbreak calls into question whether countries can inoculate themselves out of the pandemic.
Experts and local officials, however, say the Seychelles outbreak isn't a sign the vaccines aren't working.
Either way, the tropical nation is a reminder that even countries with high levels of vaccination can't drop their guard.
The situation in Seychelles
Just over a month ago, the Seychelles was so confident with its Covid-19 handling that it dropped restrictions for most tourists.
With few cases and a mass vaccination campaign underway, the tourist-dependent country reopened its borders to almost all international travelers, meaning anyone with a negative PCR test could enter the country without quarantining. It was a crucial step for a country where tourism directly or indirectly generates about 72% of GDP and employs more than 30% of the population. By that point, the country had reported fewer than 3,800 cases and 16 deaths.
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