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Indigenous Tribe in Peru Just Learned of COVID Pandemic

The arrival of Red Cross workers with vaccines was the first time they’d heard of the virus that killed 5 million people worldwide.

Much of the world has been preoccupied with COVID-19 for nearly two years—but a remote indigenous community in Peru’s Amazon rainforest only learned about the pandemic last month. Reuters reports that the arrival of an International Red Cross vaccination team in Mangual was the first time members of the Urarina tribe living there—a three-day boat journey from the nearest city—heard of the virus that has killed 5 million people worldwide. The team administered 600 shots on the trip and will make the rough journey again for second shots. “I decided to get the vaccine so that I don’t get sick,” one woman said. “Because it’s possible if traders come to visit they will bring the disease and pass it on.”