Ministry plans 4th dose against Covid for everyone over 18

The Ministry of Health plans to release the fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to all people aged 18 and over.

“In 2021, we apply two doses of vaccines. In 2022, this should be the trend. However, there is a technical analysis, which needs to be overcome”, he told the Sheet the Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga.

The minister stated that, with the approval of the technical area, the idea is to summon all people aged 18 or over at once, and not in a staggered manner.

Currently, the fourth dose — or second booster dose — is being given to people aged 50 and over, health workers and immunosuppressed people, such as people with cancer and transplant recipients.

The ministry is expected to announce the expansion for those aged 40 or over by the end of the week, such as the Sheet revealed. Some places, such as the Federal District, Teresina, Belém and the city of Rio, have already started the application for this public even before the recommendation of the federal government.

“If there is approval [da quarta dose] for adults over 18 years old, everyone who took the booster dose more than four months ago would be fit”, said Queiroga.

Saúde’s intention to release the fourth dose to all adults was reported by the newspaper O Globo and confirmed by the Sheet.​

The expansion of the fourth dose comes amid the stagnation of vaccine coverage and the huge amount of vaccines against Covid-19 in stock.

as showed the Sheet, nearly 28 million doses will expire in the next two months. There are at least 26 million Astrazeneca units and 1.92 million Pfizer units.

About 11 million doses are due next month and 16 million in August. The data were collected by the TCU (Union Court of Auditors).

The minister’s expectation is that the assent to the application of the fourth dose for people aged 18 or over will be given in the coming days.

The report found, however, that the CTAI (Technical Chamber of Immunization Advisory) has already discussed the application of the fourth dose for those aged 30 or over and concluded that there is no scientific evidence to support this decision.

Queiroga stated that “it is also a goal to advance in the first booster dose”. “We’re fine, but it’s always possible to expand coverage.”

Asked about the application of the third dose in children aged 5 to 11 years, the minister said that this still needs to be discussed by the technical area, but that the scientific evidence is “very incipient”.

This is the only group for which a third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine has not yet been indicated.

Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency) is still gathering technical information on the use of the Coronavac vaccine in children aged 3 to 5 years. The request for release was made by the Butantan Institute, in São Paulo.

On the 8th, the agency discussed the efficacy and safety data with specialists from Brazilian societies of infectology, pediatrics and immunology, in addition to Abrasco (Brazilian Association of Collective Health).

So far, Anvisa has authorized the emergency use of Coronavac for people from the age of six. Vaccination of 5 year olds is done with Pfizer.

The age group between 0 and 5 years old has become the most at risk of hospitalization for the coronavirus, with the exception of the population over 60 years old, according to an unprecedented analysis by Infogripe-Fiocruz, from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, which monitors cases of severe acute respiratory syndromes in Brazil. country.