Only 30% of eligible Salvadorans have had the bivalent vaccine

In El Salvador, adherence to the bivalent vaccine is progressing at a slow pace. According to the Municipal Health Secretariat (SMS), the number of people able to take a booster dose against covid-19 and the omicron variant in the capital of Bahia is about 1 million, but only 307,500 vaccines have been administered so far. This number equates to just over 30% of eligible Salvadorans.

Since April 25, the city council has expanded the bivalent vaccine campaign, which was initially aimed at immunosuppressed people, to also include residents over 18 years of age. However, demand remains low in the city.

SMS immunization coordinator Dwayne Lemos claims it is essential that residents remain engaged in immunization. “The population needs to get vaccinated, because all efforts are being made. We provide outdoor and fixed points and do vaccinations on Saturdays. Last week, we had an extended vaccination schedule, but this key factor is required, which is for the population to understand the importance of vaccination, to keep the disease under control, and to enable people to walk freely without locks and without wearing a mask. “, He says.

Bahia has reached 25% on its bivalent vaccine immunization goal, said Roberta Santana, owner of the state health department, and made a plea for people to look for health jobs.

“We need to win this anti-vaccine movement. We know the importance and importance of immunization, and we have evidence of that with the epidemic, and that the vaccine has produced results, and therefore we can be here today. We have been able to reach 980,000 people who have been vaccinated with the bivalent vaccine, as a result of an intense campaign recently, but it cannot be stopped. 4 million people are expected to be immunized [em todo o estado]Santana said.

For Astrid Xiomara Melendez, an infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the University of Salvador (Unifacs), there are several reasons for noncompliance. Depending on the infection doctor, some of them may be a lack of knowledge, myths about side effects, indifference, or barriers to access.

Ellis Freire, 20, a student in social communication, is part of the group that has not yet been immunized with a booster due to routine difficulties. “I didn’t have time to go to one of the available places, most of them stay until 4 pm, study in the morning and work in the afternoon. In addition, with the end of the pandemic issued by the World Health Organization, I was more calm about covid and did not prioritize To go to the health center. But I intend to, until the end of the month, “he says. According to her, of the people she lives with, only her grandmother took the double dose.

Mila Kawani, 35, gave birth three months ago and says she feels uneasy about the uncertainty of vaccine-induced reactions. “I didn’t take the bivalent vaccine because I didn’t complete the vaccination schedule for covid-19, because I’m not sure and I’m still afraid of adverse reactions to taking vaccine doses at short intervals. If the vaccination is so little known about it and even less about its future side effects, I don’t I feel comfortable,” he says.

However, despite the fear that many may still have potential side effects from the vaccine, the research being conducted by the scientific community is consistent and proven. Fake news often spreads misinformation about dangerous, irreversible side effects of vaccines, even when scientific evidence shows the risks are minimal and the benefits of immunization outweigh. However, if a large number of people choose not to be vaccinated, this creates an environment conducive to the spread of the virus,” says infection specialist Astrid.

Lucas Lima, a 28-year-old librarian, is among the percentage who have already been vaccinated. He, who got the vaccination about a month ago, argues that the vaccination is not something he chose for his own well-being alone. “I work with the public, so it’s important to think about the people I serve as well. Before the pandemic, I didn’t care much about this vaccination issue, but after I had the virus before [de tomar] The first dose and after the third dose, I realized how effective it is in reducing the strength of the ailments. We’re not going to eradicate these viral diseases, it’s impossible with so many mutations, but we can do our part not to give them too much power,” he says.

Risk of missing out on vaccinations

Bivalent is produced by Pfizer, which contains immunization devices with shorter expiration dates, according to Dwayne Lemos, SMS immunization coordinator. However, she says, the vaccine doesn’t begin to expire until after thawing, which means missing doses aren’t as much of a concern today.

“We’ve been working with covid vaccines since 2021, when the campaign started. So we already have the organization and management of these vaccines in place. We don’t melt a large amount without having that use planning in place. That’s why we’ve been ordering, receiving and distributing this vaccine little by little, precisely to have time to consume it.” And not to lose it, because our interest is to vaccinate the population, ”he says.

However, there is a possibility that doses may be missed if demand is even less than the dissolved number. “If the demand for the bivalent vaccine is low and there is no proper use of the available doses, there is a risk that some vaccines will reach their expiry date before they can be used. This could lead to wastage of vaccines and waste of resources. Therefore, it is important to encourage adherence to vaccination to avoid waste and ensure that Achieving protection for the population,” says infection specialist Astrid.

The Minister of Health comments on the low commitment

On Friday (19), the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade, was in El Salvador to announce investments of R$300 million in the portfolio, commenting on the low adherence to bilateral vaccination across the country.

“The bivalent vaccination was guaranteed with the contribution of vaccines from the Ministry of Health of the states and municipalities, but it does not meet what we need. We have to intensify this campaign a lot. The World Health Organization has already defined the end of the health emergency, but not the end of the epidemic or that we are free from Covid-19. We know Already with certainty, Brazil is an example of this, that with vaccination we have a significant decrease in serious cases and deaths. “Vaccination saves lives,” the minister said. The bivalents were approved by Anvisa in November 2022. But the application only started at the end of February from this year.

* Under the guidance of Chief Reporter Perla Ribeiro