The Ministry of Health is concerned about the low vaccination coverage, especially against measles, since immunization is decisive in the face of the appearance of cases and expansion of outbreaks of this dangerous and contagious disease.
In 1998, Paraguay had the last case of measles and, from that time until today, has a confirmed case again.
The same happened in the district of Hohenau, Itapúa, where the community intervention was carried outconsisting of house-to-house visits, resulting in the detection of many families who have refused the dose of the vaccine against the disease.
Statistically, in Itapúa, in the year 2022, six out of 10 children did not have measles vaccination coverage, a highly contagious disease.
Read: Presence of anti-vaccination concerns Health about the reappearance of measles
A a single case can infect 18 people. However, it is preventable with vaccination and, behind it, other diseases are prevented in the same way. That is why the approach against measles, in relation to the protection implied by the use of the vaccine, is also transversal against other diseases.
This vaccine has been applied in the country since the 1980s and, since then, it has been included in the regular vaccination program. It is one of the safest vaccines and protects more than 95% against infections.
Despite this, the vaccination coverage is low In this regard, Dr. Héctor Castro, director of the Expanded Immunization Program (PAI), expressed his concern, since this could be the cause of an adverse result for everyone’s health.
“We are concerned about the distrust that exists towards vaccines, we are concerned about the misinformation that many parents have regarding vaccines, we are concerned about the postponement of the application of vaccines which, at this time, can be categorically decisive for the appearance of cases and for the outbreak to expand,” he declared.
Read More: Health intervenes Central and Itapúa after confirmation of a measles case
The new vaccination scheme for the triple viral vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) is carried out as follows:
• The boy or girl should receive their first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 months of age and the second dose at 18 months. This modification applies to those born in August 2021.
• Children 18 months or older with a history of vaccination, administer two doses with a minimum interval of 1 month between doses.
• Similarly, parents of children 18 months and older pending receiving the second dose should bring them to the vaccination center in order to complete their scheme.
