Measures taken to control the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic, such as isolation, social isolation and masking, are affecting many other areas of public health care, in That must include the serious decline in routine vaccination. According to recent World Health Organization (WHO) surveys, about 80 million children under the age of one in nearly 70 countries globally are at risk of getting preventable childhood diseases caused by delays or delays. suspend the routine vaccination program.
While medical experts hope that this “slope” of decline is only temporary, its “slope” is a matter of concern. WHO reported that demand for immunization services in African, American and eastern Mediterranean countries in May was 75% less than in February 2020.
According to Dr. Lucia Bricks – Medical Director of Sanofi Pasteur South America & former professor of pediatric medicine at the University of São Paulo, the situation in this region is particularly troubling. “I am so concerned about public attention, they just focus on the serious current outbreak and forget that many other infectious diseases we’ve fought for decades,” she explained. pass is still hiding there. Whooping cough and measles – two preventable infectious diseases, have resurfaced and have been the cause of death within the last decade. We cannot be complacent in finding the necessary vaccines to help protect life. ”
Keep track of vaccinations for the community’s immune benefit
One dose of vaccine will keep an individual from becoming infected, but a high rate of vaccine coverage (making sure the majority of people in the community get vaccinated according to recommendations) will yield what is called is “community immunity” – factors that help prevent disease from spreading.
Dr Bricks notes that maintaining a high rate of vaccine coverage in the population will be key to controlling the disease, and that this rate should be around 90%.
When the rate of periodic vaccination has decreased as large as in the recent Covid-19 pandemic, health agencies often set up a follow-up vaccination plan to help maintain community immunity.
Dr Bricks explains: “An immunization monitoring and control plan is designed to help doctors and families know how and when to get vaccinated when it delays or unexpectedly changes routine immunization routines. period ”. Immunization follow-up programs often devise a thick schedule with shorter “rest” intervals between doses or vaccines to help a person safely and efficiently keep up with routine vaccination. results as soon as possible.
WHO and most governments around the world recommend that maintaining and / or keeping up with routine immunization schedules is an important health service that should be prioritized and continued during the COVID- 19 going on wherever possible.
The good news is: 75% of countries in WHO surveys report that they have a plan to help those who miss vaccinations catch up with the “reel” of routine vaccinations. 18% of countries reporting June vaccination rates started showing signs of improvement compared to April; and since all of these countries have seen the highest increase in local Covid-19 cases in June, it is a promising start. In addition, 85% of surveyed countries expressed that they would use the media and home community connections to promote access to immunization services.
The upcoming season change is a timely reminder for families to check their child’s vaccination schedule and make sure they are vaccinated regularly or can catch up on their vaccination schedule if needed. No one knows when life will return to normal, but restarting routine vaccinations will better protect society once the world gets back into orbit.
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