The extraordinary secretary of Covid-19 at the Ministry of Health, Rosana Leite de Melo, said that the booster dose of the vaccine against the new coronavirus should help stop a new wave of the pandemic in Brazil.
According to Melo, the country will hardly reach a scenario of increase in cases and deaths, as occurs today in Europe, with the expansion of immunization.
This week, the Ministry of Health announced that the entire population over 18 years of age will receive a booster dose of the vaccine. Before, the strategy was restricted to the elderly, health professionals and the immunosuppressed.
“The booster dose is a strategy that has the ability, with other measures, to stop a possible new wave,” Melo told sheet. These measures are non-pharmacological, such as masks and social distancing.
Melo pointed out that the booster dose increases immunity. Studies have shown that, over time, there is a decrease in antibodies after the full primary regimen — either the two doses or the single dose, in the case of Janssen.
Asked if there is follow-up regarding a new wave of Covid, Melo said the folder is alert. “The Ministry of Health is always attentive, we have practically daily meetings with monitoring not only of what happens here in our country, but internationally. And from then on, yes, we will be very cautiously preparing ourselves if another wave occurs,” he said.
new wave in europe
The external scenario worries us. Germany is considering returning to the home office. The reintroduction of the measure, abandoned in July, comes as the country faces the fourth wave of the virus.
Since mid-October, infections and deaths have soared in Germany, despite the vaccination campaign having already immunized 67% of the population. Meanwhile, the Netherlands became on the 12th the first country in Western Europe to resume stricter measures of social isolation because of Covid.
In Brazil, immediately, the goal is to reach at least 90% of the population with two doses. Therefore, the Ministry of Health promotes this Saturday (20) until the 26th the Mega Vaccination campaign to encourage immunization.
The slogan is “half protection is not protection”. The idea is to encourage people who are able to take the second dose and the booster dose to seek health facilities across the country.
“Case or scheme [vacinal] is not complete, we will not get enough quantity and quality of neutralizing antibodies. That is why it is necessary to complete it,” stated Melo.
21 million did not take the 2nd dose
In Brazil, 21 million people can already take the second dose and have not yet sought out health facilities. Another 9.3 million people can already take the booster dose this month.
Conass (National Council of Health Secretaries) and Conasems (National Council of Municipal Health Secretaries) support the federal government’s campaign.
In addition to releasing the booster dose against Covid for adults, the Ministry of Health has reduced the booster dose interval from six to five months after the basic vaccination schedule for those over 18 years of age.
The decision was announced at a press conference at the Ministry of Health on Tuesday (16).
The country already has 73.9% of the population with the first dose and 60.12% of Brazilians with two doses or one dose of Janssen’s vaccine, according to data this Friday (19).
Considering only the adult population, the values are, respectively, 97.26% and 79.12%. The data are from the consortium of press vehicles, collaboration between sheet, UOL, O Estado de S. Paulo, Extra, O Globo and G1.
“I assess the very expressive vaccination coverage, the population really responds to this and is getting vaccinated. However, it is not yet time to relax our attention. It is important that people come to do the second dose,” said Melo.
The secretary said that the campaign can increase vaccination coverage rates. According to her, the folder has supported the municipalities in the initiative.
“Active search is important because through it we will not only achieve better guidance, but also resolve any doubts that, by chance, some people may have. It is a very important action, and we are encouraging municipalities to do this.”
According to the website Our World in Data, linked to the University of Oxford, in England, Brazil surpassed the United States in the percentage of vaccinated against Covid.
The information was shared on a social network by scientist Eric Topol, cardiologist, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, and professor of Molecular Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute.
According to him, Brazil joined 55 other countries that surpassed the American indexes.
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