In an interview with CNN Radio, the deputy director of PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) Jarbas Barbosa stated that, given the predominance of the Ômicron variant, the control of the pandemic will only come with the world vaccinated and with reinforced surveillance.
According to him, the Organization works with the hypothesis that “in this first half of 2022 we will reach all countries in the world with 60% complete vaccination coverage.”
Jarbas stressed that “there is no ethical or technical justification” to wait for the natural infection to be responsible for protection. “The vaccine is what has to give protection.”
What will control transmission is if we can achieve, in all countries of the world, high coverage, reinforced surveillance in each country to identify new variants and the adoption of corresponding non-pharmacological measures.
Jarbas Barbosa, deputy director of PAHO (Pan American Health Organization)
The deputy director defended that, when the number of cases starts to grow, the ideal is to “suspend all non-essential activity, reinforce the use of the mask, avoid closed places, this set of measures that work well.”
According to him, “it is important that people seek to complete the vaccination schedule, when we talk about the third dose, it is not a booster for those over 60, immunosuppressed, taking the new dose today is part of the vaccination schedule, You’re not protected if you haven’t taken that booster.”
National vaccine production
Jarbas Vasconcellos sees the national production of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as “an important achievement”, especially to reduce the vulnerability of Latin America.
He explains that in order to obtain a license to export doses, an application to PAHO is required, which can be obtained “within weeks.”
Reference: CNN Brasil
