Rich Latin Americans Travel to US for Vaccine
2021-04-25
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1Rich people from Latin America have been traveling to the United States to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
2Some are flying thousands of kilometers.
3Some are taking buses and cars.
4Some go straight from the airport to vaccination centers.
5They include politicians, business leaders and a professional soccer team.
6Virginia Gónzalez and her husband flew from Monterrey, Mexico, to Houston, Texas.
7They took a bus to a vaccination center.
8Then, they made the 1,100 kilometer trip again for a second injection.
9"It's a matter of survival," Gónzalez said. "In Mexico, officials didn't buy enough vaccines."
10Mexico has a population of more than 130 million people.
11It has received more vaccine shots than many other Latin American countries-about 18 million injections.
12Most have gone to health care workers, people older than 60 and some teachers.
13Many Latin American countries are in the same situation.
14To avoid the long wait, people who can pay for the trip are coming to the United States.
15More than half of American citizens have had at least one injection of a coronavirus vaccine.
16Those who make the trip must first get a visa.
17They must also pay for coronavirus tests, air travel, hotel rooms and rental cars, among other things.
18Earlier this month, 19 players on Monterrey's professional soccer team called Rayados traveled to Dallas to get the vaccine.
19Hernando De Soto, a presidential candidate in Peru, was criticized after he admitted to traveling to the U.S. for a vaccine.
20Television stars have admitted on social media to getting a vaccine in the U.S., angering many people.
21Argentinian TV host Yanina Latorre, for example, traveled to Miami and posted a video on Instagram of her mother getting vaccinated.
22Shortly after that, Florida officials started requiring state residency to be vaccinated.
23However, about half of U.S. states, including Texas, Arizona, and California, do not require residency.
24Many of those traveling have friends or relatives who live in the U.S. and can help them get appointments.
25Some have second homes in the U.S. Others borrow a U.S. address.
26Alejandra is a dentist who also lives in Monterrey, Mexico.
27She decided to get vaccinated in the U.S. soon after her mother died from COVID-19 in February.
28She signed up online at a CVS pharmacy in Texas by using the address of a friend who lives there.
29She recognizes the criticism that foreigners like her are taking advantage of American taxpayers by getting vaccinated in the United States.
30But she said she is trying to protect herself and her family.
31Drug stores are not asking for residency documents because they are vaccinating people for "the common good of society," she said.
32The government is paying for the vaccines and providing them to anyone who does not have health insurance.
33Chris Van Deusen is a spokesman for the Texas Department of Health Services.
34He said the vaccine in Texas is "for people who live in, work in or spend" a lot of time in Texas.
35He added that more than 99 percent of people vaccinated were state residents.
36The richest countries around the world have been able to receive the largest vaccine supplies.
37They have also been criticized for not doing more to help poorer countries.
38Ernesto Ortiz is with Duke University's Global Health Innovation Center that measures distribution of vaccines around the world.
39He blames inequality for people traveling to other countries to get vaccinated.
40In Peru, for example, just two percent of the country's 32 million people have received a vaccine injection.
41"I don't blame them at all," Ortiz said, "they are desperate."
42I'm Mario Ritter Jr.
1Rich people from Latin America have been traveling to the United States to get vaccinated against COVID-19. 2Some are flying thousands of kilometers. Some are taking buses and cars. Some go straight from the airport to vaccination centers. They include politicians, business leaders and a professional soccer team. 3Virginia Gónzalez and her husband flew from Monterrey, Mexico, to Houston, Texas. They took a bus to a vaccination center. Then, they made the 1,100 kilometer trip again for a second injection. 4"It's a matter of survival," Gónzalez said. "In Mexico, officials didn't buy enough vaccines." 5Mexico has a population of more than 130 million people. It has received more vaccine shots than many other Latin American countries-about 18 million injections. Most have gone to health care workers, people older than 60 and some teachers. Many Latin American countries are in the same situation. 6To avoid the long wait, people who can pay for the trip are coming to the United States. More than half of American citizens have had at least one injection of a coronavirus vaccine. 7Those who make the trip must first get a visa. They must also pay for coronavirus tests, air travel, hotel rooms and rental cars, among other things. 8Earlier this month, 19 players on Monterrey's professional soccer team called Rayados traveled to Dallas to get the vaccine. Hernando De Soto, a presidential candidate in Peru, was criticized after he admitted to traveling to the U.S. for a vaccine. 9Television stars have admitted on social media to getting a vaccine in the U.S., angering many people. Argentinian TV host Yanina Latorre, for example, traveled to Miami and posted a video on Instagram of her mother getting vaccinated. Shortly after that, Florida officials started requiring state residency to be vaccinated. 10However, about half of U.S. states, including Texas, Arizona, and California, do not require residency. 11Many of those traveling have friends or relatives who live in the U.S. and can help them get appointments. Some have second homes in the U.S. Others borrow a U.S. address. 12Alejandra is a dentist who also lives in Monterrey, Mexico. She decided to get vaccinated in the U.S. soon after her mother died from COVID-19 in February. She signed up online at a CVS pharmacy in Texas by using the address of a friend who lives there. 13She recognizes the criticism that foreigners like her are taking advantage of American taxpayers by getting vaccinated in the United States. But she said she is trying to protect herself and her family. 14Drug stores are not asking for residency documents because they are vaccinating people for "the common good of society," she said. The government is paying for the vaccines and providing them to anyone who does not have health insurance. 15Chris Van Deusen is a spokesman for the Texas Department of Health Services. He said the vaccine in Texas is "for people who live in, work in or spend" a lot of time in Texas. He added that more than 99 percent of people vaccinated were state residents. 16The richest countries around the world have been able to receive the largest vaccine supplies. They have also been criticized for not doing more to help poorer countries. 17Ernesto Ortiz is with Duke University's Global Health Innovation Center that measures distribution of vaccines around the world. He blames inequality for people traveling to other countries to get vaccinated. In Peru, for example, just two percent of the country's 32 million people have received a vaccine injection. 18"I don't blame them at all," Ortiz said, "they are desperate." 19I'm Mario Ritter Jr. 20Olga R. Rodriguez and Marcos Martinez Chacon reported this story for The Associated Press. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 21__________________________________________________ 22Words in This Story 23residency -n. the state or fact of living in a place 24address -n. the words and numbers that are used to describe where a building or home is for mail, official purposes or directions 25take advantage of -phrasal verb to use something in a way that helps you; to ask for or expect more than is fair or reasonable 26insurance -n. an agreement in which a person makes a regular payments to a company in exchange for a promise to pay expenses related to the thing that is being insured 27distribution-n. the act of giving or delivering something to people 28desperate -adj. having a strong desire for something