GUATEMALA CITY —

       Health authorities in Guatemala say more than a million doses of the Russian Sputnik COVID-19 vaccine have expired, because nobody wanted to take the shot.

       Francisco Coma, the country’s health minister, said Monday that there was a “rejection” of the vaccine among the population, even though a lot of Guatemalans remain unvaccinated.

       Only about 43% of the country’s 12.6 million inhabitants over age 11 are fully vaccinated, in a country whose total population is 17 million.

       It was unclear whether people had particular doubts about the Russian vaccine or were unwilling to take any vaccine.

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       “We have tried to make available all the vaccines of different brands to the public,” Coma said. “Unfortunately, there has been a rejection among the public to vaccination.”

       The wasted shots cost the government about $11 million, Coma said.

       An additional 1.7 million doses of the second Sputnik dose, which is different from the first, will expire this month.