This Friday a new batch arrived in town. Those who are inoculated are mostly people who have already had the disease and fear a new infection. For now you have to pay it
The high temperatures and rains that were repeated during this last week filled the city with mosquitoes, which once again put concern about dengue on the citizens’ health agenda.
So far in 2023, 4,204 infections have occurred in Rosario and there have been two deaths from this cause. Most cases were autochthonous.
In recent days, an increase in imported cases has been recorded (especially among people with travel history to Chaco), infectologist Matías Lahitte, in charge of municipal Epidemiology, told La Capital.
Dengue is here to stay. In Argentina, the first case was detected 25 years ago. This is the first time that in some provinces there was viral circulation during the 12 months. The “high” seasons for this disease are already beginning to be erased, Therefore, it is essential to constantly take preventive measures, including removing debris in homes to avoid the accumulation of water and, therefore, the reproduction of the mosquito.
In this scenario, the novelty was that in November, the Takeda laboratory announced the release of its vaccine against this infectious disease (produced by the Aedes agypti mosquito) to the Argentine market and began distribution in pharmacies and private health centers in the country. including Rosario. The consignments that have been arriving in the city in the last two weeks are ending almost immediately, which is why the orders to the laboratory from the drugstores are renewed.
Although it is not a considerable amount, taking into account the number of residents, the truth is that demand is growing.
The vaccine, which consists of two doses that must be applied with an interval of three months, costs about 40 thousand pesos and social works do not recognize it at the moment. Only some prepaid and in exceptional cases.
Regarding the advance of dengue, the situation is worrying throughout the country. In Rosario, the municipal Health Secretariat has been carrying out intensive surveillance to diagnose patients quickly, and monitor their evolution to avoid complications. There is no specific therapy for dengue.
In addition, ditch cleaning, fumigation and population awareness tasks are added (in which different municipal areas participate, not just Health), and thus try to control a possible new outbreak.
The constant use of repellent is another tool to avoid infections.
The lockdown operations, which are launched when a person tests positive, are fully operational.
This year, in April and May, an outbreak occurred, with a significant peak in dengue cases throughout the province, which included Rosario.
Dengue fever manifests itself with fever, headache, body pain, pain behind the eyes, and sometimes a skin rash may occur.
The possibility of a person presenting a serious condition depends on many factors, specialists explain. A second infection with a different serotype (there are four different ones in dengue) is one of the variables that can make the condition more complex, but that does not happen in all cases.
More orders
From the College of Pharmacists they assured that the demand for the vaccine has been growing since the beginning of December when it arrived in Rosario.
In the first days of the month, pharmacies received about 400 units that were dispensed almost immediately.
The same thing happened at the Grupo Oroño vaccination center, the only health center that currently has this vaccine available.
This last week another, “quite larger” batch arrived at the city’s drugstores, which was also quickly finished. More doses arrived this Friday, many of which are already reserved. A new delivery to pharmacists from drugstores is scheduled for Monday.
“Demand is growing and the majority of people who consult and those who are vaccinated have already had dengue and have their doctors’ recommendations to be inoculated to minimize the risks of a second infection,” said Leonardo Jurado, deputy secretary of the entity that brings together the pharmacists.
From Grupo Oroño they also confirmed that the demand is important: “There is a lot of movement,” they confirmed to this medium.
Regarding the price of Qdenga, as the commercial name of the vaccine, is 40 thousand pesos per dose (the first doses cost 37,500 pesos, so the increase was not so significant until now within the framework of the devaluation). “Most social and prepaid insurance companies do not recognize it, but some national prepaid companies do, the largest ones. These are usually cases in which a medical history has been presented that certifies a history of dengue,” said Jurado.
At the moment, at the public level it is not known that in Santa Fe there is any plan to acquire vaccines to administer on a massive and free basis.
Only the province of Salta purchased a considerable amount of doses to distribute in three locations that have constant dengue outbreaks.
The development
The vaccine, which was approved by the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (Anmat), consists of two doses that must be applied with an interval of three months. It is authorized to be applied from the age of 4 to individuals who may or may not have had dengue.
A fundamental fact: since it is a live attenuated virus vaccine, it cannot be given to the entire population, and therefore it is essential to have a medical indication and prescription.
It is necessary to have both doses applied to generate the necessary antibodies that minimize the risks of complications.
2023-12-17 06:30:00
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