Controlling COVID-19 in the Americas will take years if slow pace of vaccination continues, PAHO Director says In some countries not even 1% of the population has been vaccinated. In other countries, the figure is only 3%. Director calls for "urgently" ramped up access to vaccines and urges countries to contribute doses or financial resources. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa F. Etienne called attention to the slow rate of COVID-19 vaccination in Latin America and the Caribbean and warned that controlling the virus will take years if current trends persist. "Today we're seeing the emergence of two worlds: one quickly returning to normal, and another where recovery remains a distant future," Dr. Etienne told journalists at her weekly media briefing.