The Ministry of Health received today (29) a batch of Paxlovid, an oral antiviral indicated for the initial treatment of covid-19. In an interview with the program The Voice of BrazilMinister Marcelo Queiroga said that the drug will be distributed to basic health units and will be available to patients over 65 years of age at high risk of developing severe forms of the disease.
The drug, composed of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir, is indicated for use in these patients, as soon as possible, from the positive result for covid-19 and within five days after the onset of symptoms, according to the National Health Surveillance Agency. (Anvisa). The drug was approved by Anvisa, for emergency use, in March this year.
“Now, with the arrival of this medication, we will have another medication for doctors who, with autonomy, will be able to prescribe in those cases that are indicated in the use manual”, said Queiroga.
Polio
In the interview with voice of Brazil, Queiroga also spoke about the polio vaccination campaign. He said only 6.2 million children, out of a total of 15 million children under the age of five, have been vaccinated against polio, also known as infantile paralysis. The Ministry’s goal is to immunize at least 14.3 million, that is, 95% of the target audience, so there is still a need to apply the vaccine in about 8 million to reach the goal.
“It is still far short of this goal and a redoubled effort is needed to bring these children to the vaccination room. This disease was eradicated in Brazil in 1994. And we don’t want more polio”.
The national polio vaccination campaign has been extended until tomorrow (30). Queiroga explained, however, that even after the end of the campaign, vaccines will continue to be available at health posts. “It is unacceptable for children to suffer from diseases that are preventable by vaccines,” he said.
multivaccination
Along with the polio immunization campaign, a multi-vaccination campaign is also being carried out for children and adolescents up to 15 years of age, with the aim of increasing vaccination coverage in the country.
“Measles has been reintroduced [no país] in 2019. We have been working hard to eradicate measles in Brazil. Yellow fever is also a cause for concern,” said the minister.
Queiroga also stated that 50,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine are arriving in Brazil, to be administered to a specific group of people.
