the city of Rio de Janeiro starts this Monday (17) the childhood vaccination campaign against Covid-19 com less immunizing than necessary. The 33,950 doses of Pfizer should only last until next Wednesday (19), according to the Municipal Health Department.
The amount received corresponds to only 6% of what is needed to vaccinate the 560,000 children who live in the capital. But the Ministry of Health predicts the arrival of another 1.2 million vaccines from Pfizer this Sunday (16). Initially, the batch was scheduled to arrive on the 20th.
Children with disabilities and/or comorbidities will have priority and can be vaccinated regardless of age.
As announced by the city hall of the capital of Rio de Janeiro, 11-year-old girls will be the first to be immunized. Then it will be the turn of the boys of the same age.
The calendar follows in a staggered way according to the arrival of doses. Children will receive two doses of 0.2 ml at an interval of 8 weeks.
On the night of this Friday (14), the city of Maricá, in the Metropolitan Region, was the first in the state to symbolically start the childhood vaccination.
In all, ten children from an indigenous village received the immunizer. The first child to receive the vaccine in the arm was little Sofia da Silva (Yva Mirim), 8 years old.
The municipality of Itaguaí only intends to start vaccinating on Tuesday (18). The city received 830 doses that will be intended for children aged 5 to 11 with disabilities or comorbidities, as directed by the Ministry of Health.
Of this total, 120 doses will be intended for bedridden children living in institutions. Before administering the vaccine, parents or guardians will need to sign a consent form. The document is mandatory and can be completed on the spot.
The goal of the State Department of Health of the Rio de Janeiro is to vaccinate about 1.5 million children. According to a study published by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), pediatric vaccination reduces the chances of developing severe forms of the disease and the risk of death, in addition to reducing the transmission of Covid-19.
Scientific studies indicate that vaccine protection is 90.7% effective for children one week after application of the second dose.
Vaccination of children against Covid-19 in Brazil
Reference: CNN Brasil
