The state of São Paulo begins this Monday (21) the application of the fourth dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 in elderly people over 80 years of age. According to the state government, about 900,000 people will be able to receive the application, provided they have received the booster dose (3rd dose) with an interval of four months.
The immunization of this age group with a new booster dose is a recommendation from the Scientific Committee on Covid-19 in the state. The guidance considered the high mortality rate among the elderly in this age group during the circulation of the Ômicron variant, which was higher than the deaths that occurred in the two other peaks of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
For this phase of the campaign, the state government’s recommendation is that all immunizers available on the network can be applied as a fourth dose, regardless of the manufacturer.
Sao Paulo city schedule
In the capital of São Paulo, the Municipal Health Department anticipated the beginning of the application of the fourth dose in elderly people from 80 years of age. The campaign started on Friday (18), in all Basic Health Units (UBSs) and Outpatient Medical Assistance (AMAs)/Integrated UBSs, which are open from 7 am to 7 pm, in addition to megaposts and drive-thrus, from 8 am to 7 pm. 5 pm
In addition to vaccinating at health centers, the city government carries out immunizations for the elderly who live in long-stay institutions (ILPIs) and at home for those who cannot move around.
The estimated target audience is 250,000 elderly people in the city of São Paulo.
Fourth dose for immunosuppressed
In December, the Ministry of Health recommended the application of the fourth dose against Covid-19 in immunocompromised individuals over 18 years of age who have already completed the primary vaccination schedule, which considers the two doses of the vaccine and the additional dose. The interval for the application of this new dose is four months from the conclusion of the initial vaccination cycle.
The target audience for this campaign was extended in February to immunosuppressed adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, following the same interval guideline.
Immunosuppressed people have been among the priority groups since the beginning of the vaccination campaign in Brazil.
The groups are defined by the National Plan for the Operationalization of Vaccination Against Covid-19 (PNO) and include people with severe primary immunodeficiency, undergoing chemotherapy for cancer or transplants (solid organ or stem cells), who use immunosuppressive drugs, as well as people living with HIV/AIDS.
Basic care helps prevent Covid-19
Source: CNN Brasil