The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on Thursday urged the countries of the Americas region to increase vaccination to combat Covid-19 and avoid sequelae such as long-term Covid, which up to 20 percent of cases suffer from. people who got infected.
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During a press conference, the director of the entity, Jarbas Barbosa, called for strengthening surveillance and closing gaps in vaccination coverage to end the Covid-19 emergency and better prepare for future health crises.
In the address, he called for maintaining surveillance systems, regardless of whether infections decrease, and stressed that “although we are not completely out of danger, we are in a much better place,” since incidence rates are up to 30 percent. less than a year ago.
“As we learn to live with this virus, countries must maintain and continue to strengthen surveillance. We know that COVID-19 can evolve and adapt quickly. The risk of new variants is real.” – @DirOPSPAHO pic.twitter.com/1v9paIImaQ
— PAHO/WHO (@pahowho)
March 9, 2023
“Over the last month, we have seen more than 1.5 million new cases and 17,000 deaths. We cannot be complacent,” stressed the director of PAHO.
Jarbas Barbosa warned that “as we learn to live with this virus, countries must maintain and continue to strengthen surveillance. We know that Covid-19 can evolve and adapt quickly. The risk of new variants is real.”
The director drew attention to the existence of people who have not received at least one dose of any of the Covid-19 vaccines, at the height of three years since the start of the health emergency.
Likewise, it encouraged the most vulnerable people to receive booster doses to continue with this “reduction trend” in terms of new cases and deaths.
