The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) reported that there has been a decrease in demand for the first dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 in Brazil since the month of September. According to the foundation, it was noted that, as of October, growth has been constant and close to zero, varying, in a 25-day interval, between 71.03 and 73.27%. The data are in the Covid-19 Observatory Bulletin and were released this Friday (12).
The estimate refers to the total population, as children are not included in the eligibility criteria for vaccination.
To speed up immunization with the first dose, Fiocruz recommends that new strategies be adopted, in addition to the requirement of the so-called “vaccination passport”.
The foundation also draws attention to the increase in cases and deaths from Covid-19 in Europe and Central Asia, even in places where vaccination coverage is already at high levels. Severe cases of the disease have been concentrated among unvaccinated groups, especially in countries with low vaccination coverage.
Faced with this new scenario, researchers are bringing to the fore the debate on the need to maintain measures of physical distance and individual protection in Brazil and highlight the slowdown in the pace of first-dose vaccination against Covid-19 in Brazil.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in the last week of October, Europe and Central Asia were responsible for 59% of all cases and 48% of registered deaths worldwide. With nearly 1.8 million new cases and 24,000 new deaths reported, both continents saw an increase of 6% and 12%, respectively, compared to the previous week. Also according to the WHO, if this trend is maintained, these regions could register another half a million deaths by Covid-19 by February 1, 2022. The health systems of 43 countries could collapse.
According to the researchers responsible for the Fiocruz Bulletin, although recent data in Brazil indicate the maintenance of the downward trend in the indicators monitored since the beginning of the pandemic, it is important to emphasize that the disease has not ended and that the risk of resurgence remains with the proximity of holiday and party season, due to greater movement of people.
For the foundation’s scientists, the mitigation of the pandemic requires an increase in vaccine coverage associated with other strategies, therefore, flexibility measures. “This is due not only to the low participation of the population, but, especially, to the lack of encouragement from the government administration for its adoption”, highlights an excerpt from the bulletin.
Fiocruz defends that it is essential to reach the level of 80% of complete vaccination coverage of the total population – which today is 55%.
Rio City Hall postpones flexibilization
The City of Rio de Janeiro decided, this Friday (12), to postpone the flexibility of the use of masks in closed spaces. A decree published in the Official Gazette maintains the obligation to use the protection also in public transport. Since the end of October, cariocas and tourists no longer need to wear a mask outdoors. The city of Rio has almost 73% of the population vaccinated with two doses or a single dose. The Municipal Health Department (SMS) had planned a new stage of flexibility for when the state capital reached 75% of the vaccinated population. That should happen in the next few days.
Mayor Eduardo Paes, however, decided to go against the Scientific Committee and keep the use of masks indoors. “Given the fact that this disease must remain among us without being eradicated, we will hardly live through a moment like this. But why did I decide not to respect the scientific committee’s decision? Because I think there is an important issue, which is what we communicate to the population. Looks like the story is over completely. And it’s not like that”, says Paes.
Currently, according to the municipal secretary of Health, Daniel Soranz, a percentage of 0.8% of the beds in the Unified Health System (SUS) in the state capital are occupied with cases of covid-19. There are 51 patients undergoing treatment, and of these, 46 do not have a complete vaccine schedule against the disease. In addition, Soranz said that for every 100 Covid-19 tests performed this week in the capital of Rio, only three were positive.
On the next 15th, the city will hold a religious event at Parque Madureira, in the North Zone, to celebrate life and pray for people who died victims of Covid-19.
Reference: CNN Brasil
