79% of eligible Puerto Ricans have gotten at least one vaccine shot protecting them against the COVID-19 infection, giving this low-income, Democratic-leaning U.S. territory in the Caribbean one of the best vaccination rates in the country. Nationally, the rate for partial vaccination is about 70%. As of Aug. 19, Puerto Rico hit 68.5% for full vaccination of eligible people, dramatically higher than the approximately 51% national rate. Island officials attribute their success to a combination of clear public health messaging and a near-absence of conspiracy theorists and the political divide that has marked the pandemic elsewhere within the United States. Interviews with experts and residents across Puerto Rico reveal officials across the island didn't do anything special to achieve their nation-leading vaccination rates. Instead, they put together a textbook step-by-step plan with help from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – and then they followed it. From publicity campaigns featuring doctors, nurses and politicians, to a highly organized National Guard distribution system, Puerto Rico's leaders offered clear, consistent messaging from the start, and are maintaining it as they try to reach the 20% of the population that hasn't been vaccinated. #puertorico #covidvacccine #covid_19