The Minister of Health, Francisco Coma, reported this Monday, April 18, that Guatemala, as in the rest of the countries of the world, should carry out an analysis of the map of restrictions due to the coronavirus, in order to gradually return to normality. .
Coma attended this Monday the presentation of the results report of the National Prevention System in Holy Week 2022 (Sinaprese), in which he addressed various issues about covid-19 and at the end of the event he was addressed by journalists.
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Coma was asked if a plan was being analyzed or already existed to lift the restrictions due to covid-19 in Guatemala, and he replied: “Like many countries in the world, Guatemala has to make decisions in relation to the map. I think we’ve been two years, we are seeing a trend to significantly decrease casesbut this is a decision that will be made in consensus with the president -Alejandro Giammattei- with him we have to talk about this issue, of course we want to leave a map that serves as a reference for the population…what is important is that we have like those warning signs.”
“Today, for example, we have an omicron variant, which, although it is true, was very contagious, it lowered the severity levels of the disease, blessed be God, they were not so serious, but a new variant may appear that is again very aggressive and then we would have to reconsider a series of factors or measures to implement. The ideal is to get closer to returning to normality and that we all become aware of the importance of taking care of ourselves, “said Coma.
He said that he believes that the measures that were somehow implemented due to the covid-19 pandemic are going to stay within the population.
“At least me, although there is no longer an obligation to wear a mask, I will continue to wear it. I think I will still learn more about Eastern cultures and I will try to maintain a social distance in my greetings, but these are going to be very personal decisions. I really hope that for the benefit of Guatemalans and the country, we can start to get back to normality,” Coma concluded on that topic.
Also read: Municipalities on red alert decrease, only 5% are with maximum restrictions
Stalled vaccination
The official was also asked why vaccination had stalled and expressed that it was due to two main factors, rejection of biologicals and that now there are no more serious cases of covid-19.
He said that the ministry has implemented community outreach strategies in which the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Defense, local actors, local authorities and international organizations have also participated, which have given guidelines on how to proceed in some municipalities and that have allowed generating the approach to those municipalities with cultural relevance.
“Unfortunately I have to say it, I think we are experiencing that negative message that was generated around the vaccine at the beginning, where there was a lot of talk that the vaccine kills me, the vaccine leaves me sterile, in short, a series of myths that Unfortunately, they permeated very well, but then the other factor that inhibits many people from getting vaccinated is that there are no more serious cases. They remember when we saw full hospitals, when we had that dimension of danger, I think the population was more aware of the risk and therefore went to look for possible alternatives to protect themselves, “Coma commented.
Vaccination in children between 6 and 11 years old
Minister Coma also acknowledged that the vaccination of children between 6 and 11 years of age has not had the expected results. “We thought we were going to have a greater influx, but parents probably did not want to vaccinate their children for fear that there would not be a second dose.”
assured that there will be a second dose for that population group and that, although he did not give a date, another batch of vaccines is going to enter, before the minors comply with the established time to complete their schedule.
back to school
When asked about the return to face-to-face classes in Guatemala, Coma stated that they have good expectations, since there are only 15 municipalities in the red and that allows kids go back to class.
“I think it is the right thing to do, the children need it, they need to have their face-to-face activities again. The damage and that the little ones have suffered due to isolation plus the lag in the educational capacity was felt enormously and we have to work very hard so that the babies return to classes and that is the idea.
Also read: Children spend less time studying to support household chores
Charge health workers for expired vaccines
The official was also approached about the recent case in which a nurse from Sololá denounced that the Ministry of Health was forcing her to pay more than Q300 thousand for expired vaccines and responded that some administrative acts have been drawn up that do not have to do with the direct expiration of the vaccines, but with the appropriate or inappropriate handling of the vaccines.
“The intention of charging staff for expired vaccines, and especially for expired vaccines with such a short lifespan, because that is what we forget, remember that on average a biological, a vaccine has 18 months of life, the exception was the covid vaccines that were 3 months old. Although it is true that later they came out with the fact that the useful life of the vaccine could be extended, etc., for us what is valid is the expiration date and the expiration date of 3 months,” Coma commented.
“Imagine what it would mean to charge the staff, they would have to start by charging the minister, right? Hopefully there is no need, but it is not the intention of the ministry, far from it… imagine penalizing those who have truly been the heroes in this pandemic and those who have made all the effort,” Coma commented.
expired vaccines
When Coma was asked about what is going to happen to the covid-19 vaccines that have already expired, he stated that there is a procedure for destroying biologicals or medicines that expire.
He referred that in the case in which there are complaints and investigation processes, then Health is waiting for the answers of the investigating entity on what to do with the biological.
Also read: Vaccines against covid-19 expire and Guatemala loses more than Q350 million
“For the moment, we will store them in adequate custody and cold chain conditions, because we are not going to be us either, that is, in not giving them protection, even if it is a product that we already say has a clear expiration date. So, the idea is that they will be stored and guarded as if they were still in force,” said Coma.
Regarding the shortage of some medicines in the HIV Program, Coma stated that it is due to a delay in the delivery of the retroviral products that were contracted and were required through the Pan American Health Organization and in order not to leave shortages and without product. direct purchases had to be made from these patients.
Prevent a rebound in cases
In the Sinaprese presentation, Coma pointed out that due to the behavior of the population during the Easter break, a rebound in coronavirus cases is expected in Guatemala, but they would hope that this would not generate high hospital occupancy, although the portfolio is already prepared to that.
He pointed out that the Covid-19 Alert Traffic Light showed only 15 municipalities in red and that meant that many activities could be carried out, always under the guidelines established by said alert system.
“We always know that after these dates there is a rebound in cases, that is why the ministry has antigen tests for follow-up to those who require it,” replied the official, alluding to the fact that through these tests it could be measured whether there was any rebound or not. .
Less aggressive variant
Coma recalled that the omicron variant is the predominant one in Guatemala and that the behavior it has had indicates that it is less aggressive, from a clinical point of view, and that during the fourth wave of infections that the country experienced, only 30 were reached. % hospital occupancy and is currently at 5%.
He affirmed that Health is prepared to detect outbreaks of covid-19 and with the experience of ómicron it was established that it is a less aggressive variant, but hospitals are still prepared with beds and supplies.
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