As of this Monday, the 29th, the flu vaccine is authorized for use in children up to 12 years of age in Santa Catarina. The expansion of the age group occurs due to the anticipation of the circulation of respiratory viruses in the state and the increase in cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) due to influenza in children in this age group. According to data from the State Department of Health (SES), 80% of SARS hospitalizations due to influenza are in the age groups of 0 to 12 years and over 60 years.
“The State Department of Health, through our Epidemiological Surveillance team, is advising municipalities that may have flu vaccines in their stocks, which will expand the age range starting this Monday. 80% of hospitalizations for severe acute respiratory syndrome, which are in our hospitals and admitted, both in the wards and in the ICUs, are children aged 0 to 12 years old. The vaccine, until now, was available for children aged 6 months to 5 years. Starting today, we are advising to expand this age range from 5 to 12 years old. With this, we will immunize our children more quickly and reduce hospital admissions”, reinforces Secretary of State for Health Carmen Zanotto.
With the expansion, the flu vaccine will now be available to all children aged between 6 months and 12 years old. Previously, the dose was only available for children up to 5 years old. The application of doses to people in other priority groups such as elderly people aged 60 or over, people with comorbidities and permanent disabilities, health workers, teachers, among others, remains unchanged.
The Flu Vaccination Campaign began on March 25th throughout the state of Santa Catarina and continues until May 31st. D-Day, the Saturday of state mobilization, took place on April 13, but municipalities have the autonomy to carry out new mobilizations if they deem it necessary to achieve the vaccination coverage recommended by the Ministry of Health (MS), which is 90%. To date, according to the MS’s panel of applied doses, Santa Catarina has a vaccination coverage of 29.90%.
The vaccine offered in the public health network prevents the main influenza viruses present in Brazil, which are influenza A (H1N1), influenza A (H3N2) and influenza B virus. However, protection only occurs two to three weeks after dose application, which is why the State Department of Health warns of the importance of getting vaccinated as soon as possible to avoid serious cases, hospitalizations and deaths from flu. It is important to highlight that children who will receive the vaccine for the first time must take two doses, 30 days apart.
For those who are also in the age range for the dengue vaccine, which is 10 to 14 years old, the recommended interval between flu and dengue doses should be 24 hours.
Tags: Catarinense News Network RCN General State Department Health guides expansion flu vaccine children years age Santa Catarina
