Adolescents from 12 to 17 years old start receiving the booster dose against Covid-19 from this Monday (30).
On Friday (27), the Ministry of Health expanded the recommendation of the booster dose for this age group. According to the ministry, the booster dose should be given four months after the second dose preferably with the Pfizer vaccine regardless of the dose applied previously.
When the vaccine is not available, the Coronavac can be used, according to the folder. The two immunizing agents are authorized by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) for this age group. In immunocompromised adolescents, only the Pfizer vaccine should be used, as well as young pregnant or postpartum women. In this public be applied to Coronavac as an alternative.
Regarding the population over 18 years of age, a survey carried out by the CNN Agency shows that 56% were vaccinated with the booster dose against Covid-19, an index that is almost half of the first (111%) and second (102%) doses.
The adherence, still far from ideal, combined with the increase in the positivity rate from 10.2% to 28.8% in private laboratories, between April 17 and May 21, attracts the attention of specialists.
The president of the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases (SBI), Alberto Chebabo, says he believes that Brazil is already starting to have a new peak of Covid-19, but that it will not be as worrying as the previous one, which occurred in January of this year, after the introduction of the Ômicron variant in the country.
“We are going to have a lot of cases, but they will be mild to moderate. We have a concern that is the low demand for a booster dose, which is not enough, the ideal is that it reaches 70% to 80% so that people do not lose protection and that serious cases do not increase due to lack of vaccination”, it says.
“The general population, especially those between 18 and 40 years old, is not going to the clinics to receive the third dose and, if the younger population becomes infected, this can increase viral circulation. That’s why it’s important that people get vaccinated,” he adds.
Mônica Levi, director of the Brazilian Society of Immunizations (SBIm), warns that the coverage of the booster dose and childhood vaccination – this one with 60% for the first dose and 27% for the second – is below expectations. For her, it is also necessary to encourage immunization to avoid possible increase in cases of the disease.
“We are seeing that the pandemic is not over and we are always at risk of a new wave because we have no control over the variants that appear with high transmissibility. So far, vaccines continue to have a good effect in preventing deaths and severe cases. Anyone who is fully vaccinated has been staying in good health,” she says.
“The great concern we have seen are children, who have low vaccination coverage, and the adults’ booster dose. We know that after four to six months, the level of antibodies drops, so people need to get vaccinated again”, completes Mônica.
According to the InfoGripe Bulletin, from Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), between May 15 and 21, approximately 48% of records of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) were due to the disease, against 41.8% the previous week. In addition, 84% of SARS deaths are also related to the coronavirus. The coordinator of Infogripe, Marcelo Gomes, informs that the low demand for the immunizing agent influences a growth trend.
“The booster dose was implemented because the data showed how important it was, especially against the Ômicron variant. It’s like the annual flu vaccine, which we don’t call a booster, but it’s basically the same logic”, highlights the researcher.
City of São Paulo begins booster vaccination
In the city of São Paulo, vaccination takes place starting this Monday at Basic Health Units (UBSs) and Integrated Ambulatory Medical Assistance Units (AMAs/UBSs), from 7 am to 7 pm, and at megaposts and drive-thrus, from 7 am to 7 pm. 8 am to 5 pm.
Until then, the booster dose for the age group was only available for immunosuppressed adolescents. According to the city hall of the capital of São Paulo, so far, 4,520 booster doses have been applied among this public.
In the general public aged 12 to 17 years, 978,330 first doses and 876,506 second doses have already been applied against Covid-19. Vaccination coverage is 115.9% and 103.8%, respectively, according to the city hall.
use of masks
With the growth in the number of Covid-19 cases, there has also been an increase in demand for masks in the last week, according to Paulo Henrique Fraccaro, superintendent of the Medical Devices Industry Association (Abimo), an entity that represents manufacturers of face masks. various types, gloves and gel alcohol. However, the percentage has not yet been measured.
“We noticed the increase in consumption of masks, but nothing like what was at the beginning of the pandemic. I think we are going through a phase of growth in cases. It may last for two or three weeks, but we have to wait and see what happens. Companies, at first, have stocks prepared to meet this demand and we are considering that they will be waves that we will have from now on”, says the superintendent of Abimo.
The doctor Alberto Chebabo points out that the use of masks, accompanied by vaccination, helps to prevent the spread of the disease.
“We have always recommended the use of masks, even when we removed the obligation. The mask will reduce the risk of transmission. It is an individual and collective protection. Of course, when people are not seeing the number of cases increase, use tends to decrease because the risk of becoming infected is low. When you start to see the return of transmission, people protect themselves again, so it is important to wear a mask to reduce this increase “, guides the specialist.
The assessment is shared by the director of SBIm. Mônica Levi points out that the vaccine does not prevent the person from being contaminated, but helps to make the disease milder. “We are in the war against the virus. They are being faster than us, so our tools to protect ourselves against the coronavirus are the use of a mask, gel alcohol and, above all, vaccination”, he emphasizes.
Under the supervision of Pauline Almeida, from CNN.
Basic care helps prevent Covid-19:
Source: CNN Brasil
