/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/abccolor/DPS7J5YKQZDNDGIFKCUAMJA2HM.jpeg "PAI: “The baby is vaccinated before birth,” says Héctor Castro")
The Director of the Expanded Immunization Program (PAI), Dr. Héctor Castro, spoke about the vaccination campaign against various diseases conducted by the Ministry of Health for babies and children, as well as young people and adults. During one of his explanations, the pediatrician claimed that a baby “is already vaccinated before birth,” indicating that the pregnant woman should already be receiving some vaccines to protect herself and her baby.
Currently, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Security is advancing with his mass vaccination campaign against him measles, rubella and poliomyelitisthese doses are intended for children protect them of these diseases. The first, measles, is one of the most contagious in existence and, in the face of the more than 40 cases recorded in Brazil, the director of the EPI, Ettore Castroreiterated the importance of immunization in children.
Faced with this situation that occurs in the neighboring country, from the Public Health refer an additional dose vaccines in children, who should have already received a first dose at one year of age and a second before entering the school phase, considering that they would be halfway there socialization processes with other minors.
Similarly, Dr. Castro stated that this disease can quickly become an epidemic outbreak, as a person can infect 18 others, also recalling that it can cause various complications such as otitis, pneumonia and meningitis, among others, as well as serious sequelae. . irreparable e it can even be fatal in the little ones.
“How do we protect ourselves? With vaccines. They are safe and can even prevent the spread of the disease, ”he said in an interview with ABC Cardinal.
Read more: They insist on the importance of applying measles dose reinforcement to children
“The child must be vaccinated before birth”
Referring to the purpose of this immunization campaign, Castro complained that over the years there has been one decrease in the total number of children vaccinatedthis being the most vulnerable population to these diseases.
Among one of the territories with a percentage of less than 50% is the department of Alto Paranaindicated the pediatrician, warning right towards the border area with Brazil and citing the “reluctance” or referral as a difficulty for immunization.
Continuing with his explanation, the doctor said so “The child must be vaccinated before birth”explaining that pregnant women must already be immunized against certain diseases, such as the flu, COVID, and must also receive a dose of TDPA to protect themselves and their children.
“What I say sounds illogical, but the child is already vaccinated before birth, with the mother pregnant. Then, the baby is born and gets the vaccine against hepatitis B and tuberculosis and when he grows up he gets vaccines against other diseases until he is one year old and there is measles, chicken pox and hepatitis A there, “he said.
Read more: The Public Health has activated the vaccination campaign against polio
COVID vaccination
Finally, the doctor talked about the vaccination against COVID-19arguing that thanks to immunization against this virus, the country is now unrestricted, which it considered a “privilege” after all the restrictive measures that have been put in place to try to control the spread of this disease.
Despite having demonstrated the effectiveness with the decrease in serious cases and hospitalizations, the director said that a part of the citizens only seeks to be vaccinated. “when you feel in danger” so now it is difficult to complete the calendar of vaccinations against the coronavirus and the booster dose.
Furthermore, he added that Paraguay is one of the few countries that has presented immunization with different vaccines, being the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sputnik, Coronavac, Sinovac and Covaxin those applied throughout the national territory. He also detailed that the first two showed a greater effectiveness compared to other platforms, as a viral vector or shell virus.
“Vaccines reduce severe forms of the disease, but if those with a respiratory condition must wear a mask and not go to work or expose others. Many vaccinated have suffered the infection but have not been hospitalized and it is not that the variant was less serious “, she reiterated.
Read more: Regular vaccination schedule threatened due to lack of confidence, EPI regrets
