Experts warn of the risk of the disease being re-registered in Brazil after more than 30 years, a concern already raised by the WHO
The State of Sao Paulo has extended the childhood vaccination campaign polio until October 31st due to the low turnout. Less than half of the children (49.2%) of the target audience (aged up to 4 years and five months) took the immunizer. This means that around 1.28 million children in this age group are still unprotected.
The virus can attack the nervous system and cause irreversible paralysis – hence the name infantile paralysis – of the limbs such as the legs, as well as the respiratory muscles, leading to death. THE polio has no cure, only prevention, which is done with the vaccine.
The national campaign had already been postponed by the health ministry earlier this month, but now the ministry has announced that it will not extend the calendar. But, strengthens the folder, states and municipalities will have autonomy to continue the task force.
Experts warn of the risk of polio returning to Brazil after more than 30 years, a concern already raised by the World Health Organization (WHO). Faced with the low immunization in the country and the record of infections in other countries – such as the United States and Israel -, the entity placed Brazil among the areas at high risk of disease recurrence.
Polio, highly contagious, mainly affects children under the age of 5 who live in conditions of high social vulnerability, in places where there is no adequate water and sewage treatment. “Maintaining a high vaccination coverage rate is the most effective way to prevent recirculation of the virus,” says Sandra Sabino, executive secretary of primary care, specialties and health surveillance at the San Paolo Municipal Health Department.
The Municipality, for now, has announced an extension of the campaign until 30 October. In the city, membership was 49.8% and about 312,000 children have not yet received the vaccination. The Multivaccination Campaign for children and adolescents, from zero to 15 years, will also be extended for the same period, for the prevention of other diseases such as meningococcus C and ACWY, HPV, BCG, hepatitis A and B, rotavirus, pentavalent (DTP + Hib + HB), pneumococcus, yellow fever, measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, diphtheria / tetanus and influenza (influenza virus).
This week, due to the current outbreak of meningococcal meningitis located in the districts of Vila Formosa and Aricanduva, neighborhoods on the east side of capital of paulistaa The municipality has stepped up vaccination in the population of the affected areas.
The Ministry of Health, in a note, also informs that it will continue to support the States in immunization actions. And it reinforces the fact that the polio vaccine, as well as others on the national calendar, will be available year-round at stations.
Actions to step up vaccination in the capital Sao Paulo
In addition to offering vaccines at Basic Health Units (UBS) and Integrated Outpatient Medical Care (AMA) / UBS, Monday through Friday, and at Integrated AMA / UBS on Saturday, there are also actions in parks and in Avenida Paulista on Sundays. . Only this weekend, due to the first round of elections, vaccinations will be suspended.
In addition, the teams of the city of Sao Paulo are also stepping up the vaccination of children in public schools. However, in this case, the authorization of the parents or guardians is required to carry out the vaccination. The guide record that, even if the vaccination booklet is complete, it is important that parents and guardians look for one of the immunization posts to assess the vaccination status of children.
The polio campaign aims to immunize children from one to four years and 11 months of age with the oral polio vaccine (OPV) who received the three injectable doses of inactivated polio vaccine (VIP) in the basic regimen. In routine calendar vaccination, VIP is applied at two, four and six months of age, and OPV – two booster doses with drops – one at 15 months (1 year and three months) and the other at 4 years.
Children who do not have three doses of the inactivated (injectable) vaccine cannot receive drops. Even if they are over the age, they must update the vaccination schedule of injections, before receiving the decreasing doses.
Polio vaccination goal in Brazil
Although Brazil received the disease elimination certificate in 1994, the low adherence causes the National Immunization Program (PNI) to warn about the importance and benefits of vaccination, to prevent the reintroduction of the polio virus to the country. Currently, less than 70% of children up to one year old have all updated routine vaccinations in Brazil.
On Friday 26, according to data from the Ministry of Health, 58.1% of children between the ages of 1 and 5 asked for an extra dose or had participated in the polio campaign to complete the vaccination program.
“Having just under 70% coverage in routine and in a campaign against polio – which is to recover – only 50% of children appear, data showing that the country is not doing well”, says the president of the Immunization Department of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP), Renato Kfouri.
According to the National Immunization Program Information System (SI-PNI), predicted doses for inactivated polio vaccine – those given to children under 1 year of age – last reached the target in 2015, when coverage was 98.29%. Since 2016, the country has not exceeded the threshold of 90% of vaccinated children and, according to experts, the covid-19 pandemic has further aggravated the problem of non-attendance at health posts.
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Source: Terra
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