They try to strengthen polio vaccination

The country is working to strengthen vaccination programs and increase vaccination coverage against polio, the presence of cases of which recently led the authorities in New York, in the United States, to declare an emergency due to the spread of the virus.

The Deputy Minister of Collective Health, Eladio Pérez, recalled that the Dominican Republic has not recorded cases of polio in any of its manifestations for more than 20 years and that vaccination coverage is 89%, which is trying to continue to increase.

He recalled that during the recent national vaccination day that took place in the country, particular emphasis was placed on raising the vaccination levels of the childhood population against measles, polio and rubella.

last

He said the last polio vaccine cases in the country were in 2001 and that they beefed up the immunization schedule with both oral and injected vaccines.

He added that the country has both modalities in the vaccination scheme and also last year another injected one was introduced and this year it is planned to introduce another one, to gradually eliminate the oral one, because the inoculated one has a greater protection.

Reports indicate that New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently declared a state of emergency for the spread of the polio virus in the state and that health officials said samples collected in that city and four surrounding counties returned positive results. . a poliovirus with the potential to cause paralysis.

They note that although only one case of the virus has been confirmed so far, it is the first in the country in more than a decade.

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1979

Eradicated in the United States.

Polio was mostly eradicated from the United States through vaccinations that began in 1955 and by 1979 that nation was declared free of the disease.

Dengue.

The health authorities assure that, although there is an increase in dengue cases in the country, they are in line with what is expected in the last five years and that they are working on prevention actions.

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