Argentina has decided to extend what it calls the 'Social, Preventive and Obligatory Distancing' regulations to control the spread of the novel coronavirus until January 31, 2021, President Alberto Fernandez announced.

At a ceremony on Friday honoring healthcare community workers in the town of Moreno, 40 km west of the capital Buenos Aires, Fernandez called on citizens to take extreme precautionary measures, especially during Christmas and New Year celebrations, reports Xinhua news agency.

"All the precautions we took, we must now reinforce," he said.

Also Read : The Christmas, New Year holiday in a general "red zone”: Italy

"We will shortly begin to vaccinate essential workers, they are those who are most exposed and those who need it most, those who work in healthcare and security forces," the President added.

Argentina has so far reported 1,524,372 confirmed coronavirus cases and 41,534 deaths.