Boards of Health Trustees defend vaccination

The Brazilian Society for Immunization (SBIM), the National Board of Health Secretaries (Conass) and the National Council of Municipal Health Secretaries (Conasems) took a position this Thursday (16) to continue vaccination against COVID-19 for diseases associated with uninsured adolescents. .

And the situations were revealed in response to the decision of the Ministry of Health to stop immunizing this public, while retaining only the application of doses for people between the ages of 12 and 17 years with comorbidities, announced today.

In a statement, SBIM stated that the measure generates fear in the population and opens the door to false news. The entity questioned the rationale given by the federal government to review the directives.

As for the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO), the association noted that the institution’s expert group considers RNA vaccines, such as the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, suitable for people from 12 years of age.

SBIM added that the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has authorized the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in people aged 12 to 17, including those without comorbidities.

“According to the Ministry of Health, 1,545 adverse events have been recorded among 3,538,052 vaccinated adolescents in Brazil so far (0.043%). The note stated that immunization errors are the cause in the absolute majority (93%).

Health Trustees

In a statement, Kunas and Kunasimis expressed their regret at the Ministry of Health’s decisions, and the concerned authorities defended the permission granted by Anvisa and use in several countries, saying that the ministry’s decision was taken “unilaterally and without scientific support.”

“As executors of this important public policy, Conass and Conasems, based on current scientific knowledge, advocate the continuity of vaccination for appropriate protection of young people, without ignoring the need to prioritize adolescents, those with comorbidities, permanent disabilities, and those with permanent disabilities. ‘ concludes the note.