The executive secretary of the Ministry of Health, Rodrigo Cruz, told CNN that vaccinating children aged five to eleven with the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine will be completed by the end of next month. The folder also reported that the entire amount intended for the first dose has already reached the states. This Thursday, the Butantan Institute sent ten million doses of Coronavac to Health, to be used as a second dose, and offered 20 million doses.
According to the ministry, for the time being, there is no need to purchase the extra amount. Pfizer has 9.7 million doses already distributed and another 3.9 million are expected to arrive next Monday. The forecast is to receive 22 million doses from Pfizer also by the end of March.
Currently, according to Rodrigo Cruz, Brazil has about 30% of children immunized with the 1st dose against Covid-19. The percentage, however, may be higher, since there is a delay of approximately ten days in the registration made by the states on the ministry’s website. In addition, Cruz points out that vaccination of minors occurs at a different pace than adults due to some particularities.
“Delay. Not all posts can vaccinate children. There are specific cases in which the child needs to be observed. Vaccination capacity is different,” she says.
4th Dose
The start of vaccination with the fourth dose is not foreseen. The folder discusses the application in the elderly, but given the lack of consensus among experts, the matter is still under analysis. Next week, ministry technicians will meet with representatives from Pfizer and Astrazeneca to discuss the matter. There is no scheduled agenda for dealing with the issue with the Butantan Institute.
Flexibility
THE CNN consulted other ministry sources on the easing of non-pharmacological measures, such as the use of masks, in addition to ordinances and decrees due to the pandemic. Next week, technicians intend to start a series of meetings with Anvisa, health control bodies and representatives of the World Health Organization to understand the need to maintain what has been adopted so far. The internal assessment is that stepping back in pandemic actions is something sensitive for Brazil, but that it is important to listen to authorities and study country scenarios.
Source: CNN Brasil
