State of SP warns about the importance of vaccination against yellow fever

Health reinforces the importance of vaccination after confirmation of the first case of yellow fever in 2024

The State of São Paulo alerts the population to the risk of contamination by Yellow Fever after the state registered, on March 29, the first death confirmed by Yellow Fever in 2024. The case was in a man, aged 50, resident of Águas de Lindóia and also moved through the Monte Sião region in Minas Gerais.

The State Department of Health (SES) intensified health surveillance and vaccination actions in the Águas de Lindóia region, reinforcing the importance of vaccination and awareness about routine immunization, not just in epidemic or pandemic times to avoid more serious cases . The Yellow Fever vaccine is part of the immunization schedule and is available in all health centers in the state. Until April 22nd, throughout the state, vaccination coverage against Yellow Fever was 68.47%.

Since April 2017, Brazil has adopted a vaccination schedule of just one dose for a lifetime, a measure that is in accordance with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). Every person who lives in Areas with Vaccine Recommendation against yellow fever and people who will travel to these areas must be immunized at least 10 days before traveling.

For Regiane de Paula, coordinator of Health Surveillance (CCD/SES-SP), for those who will travel to the interior and other states, immunization is essential. “The Yellow Fever vaccine has a period of 10 days to create antibodies, so anyone traveling to forest areas, going to camps, trails, waterfalls is extremely important to be immunized as soon as possible.”

It is also important to highlight that monkeys do not transmit Yellow Fever. Infection occurs through wild mosquitoes, which live in forest areas and do not inhabit the urban environment of cities. The risk is greater in forested and rural areas that receive tourists for camping, trails and other activities.