Ministry of Health prepares plan in case new wave of Covid emerges

Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga said that the ministry is preparing a contingency plan in case a new wave of Covid occurs in the country and puts pressure on the health system due to the omicron variant.

Queiroga stated that the folder monitors the epidemiological situation in states and municipalities. For him, vaccination remains the main way to fight the Covid-19 variants circulating in the country.

The minister pointed out that he also follows the international scenario and that Brazil can mirror itself in Spain, which has a heavily vaccinated population and with the application of a booster dose. In that country, cases have increased, but the number of deaths has not increased.

“We are working hard here, today here on December 31st, with the entire ministry team to have a contingency plan in case there is pressure on the health system as it was in the first and second wave,” he said in a conversation with journalists on Friday Thursday (31).

The Director General of the WHO (World Health Organization), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the “tsunami” created by the simultaneous circulation of the delta and omicron variants of Covid is bringing “health systems to the brink of collapse” in the world.

In the WHO weekly epidemiological bulletin, the entity highlights that omicron is highly contagious and that it represents a “very high” risk. Circulation of the variant around the world caused a record number of cases in the last seven days.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, Brazil has already registered 128 cases of Covid by the new variant and has 298 suspected cases until January 30th. The country already has community transmission of this new strain.

Queiroga was also asked about the open public consultation for vaccination in children aged 5 to 11 years. The minister said that it is being carried out because it concerns a specific audience, but intends to expand it to other subjects.

The Ministry of Health opened a public consultation on vaccination against Covid-19 for children aged 5 to 11, authorized by Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency). It will be available on the official website of the folder until January 2nd.

After that, the ministry will have three more days to decide on the adhesion of children of this age group to the PNI (National Immunization Program).

“It’s a specific audience, they’re children, it’s a matter that society discusses widely, not just in Brazil. France carried out a process similar to ours and, in our administration, we’re going to expand this type of action. part of the control of the SUS”, he reported.