The Ministry of Health announced last Thursday (2) that it extended the National Vaccination Campaign against influenza and measles viruses. The application of vaccines is taking place in priority groups until June 24th.
The priority groups to get the measles vaccine are children between six months and 5 years old and health workers.
The National Vaccination Calendar guides that the vaccine – also called triple viral, as it encompasses immunization against measles, mumps and rubella – should be applied to babies when they turn 1 year old, with booster between 4 and 6 years. In addition, one dose is recommended for adults between the ages of 30 and 50 who were not vaccinated in childhood or youth.
As for the flu vaccine, the priority groups are: elderly people over 60 years of age; health workers; children between 6 months and 5 years old; pregnant and postpartum women; Indian people; teachers; people living with comorbidities or permanent disabilities; members of the security, rescue and Armed Forces; truck drivers and workers in urban and long-distance collective road transport for passengers; port workers; prison system staff; population deprived of liberty and adolescents serving socio-educational measures.
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It is estimated that about 80 million Brazilians receive doses of vaccines, which have already been distributed to all regions of the country in order to be applied at SUS health centers. The vaccination campaign that began on April 4 vaccinated about 44% of the expected public.
As of June 25, states and municipalities that still have available doses of the flu vaccine will be able to expand the public that receives immunizations. Vaccination will be released for the entire population from 6 months of age.
The purpose of extending the term is to increase vaccination coverage and increase collective immunity against these diseases. In 2019, Brazil lost the measles eradication certificate, granted by the Pan American Health Organization, due to the drop in vaccination coverage. Since then, 26 deaths of children under the age of 5 have been recorded and more than 1,600 people have been hospitalized for measles in the country. These numbers, which had not been seen since the early 2000s, were recorded by the Center for Information, Public Policies and Inclusion (Nippis).
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Editing: Thalita Pires
