Without alarmism, but with caution. «Although there is a peak and an upward trend in the incidence, the symptoms are not serious and we come from a very low incidence. We will see how it behaves, we are in summer and we relate more and interact more … and it is possible that there will be an increase,” admits the general director of Public Health, Eva Martínez Ochoa, who emphasizes what is already known to face the current situation; that is, in vaccination, especially of risk groups; and in the usual precautionary and hygiene recommendations – mask, distance, ventilation, hand washing… – to protect the most vulnerable.
Pandemic fatigue, the declines in incidence and the lower lethality of the virus had a full impact on the vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 – fifth dose, sixth for some – launched last October, as evidenced by the notable declines. in coverage compared to the 2022-2023 financial year. It has happened in all age groups. In the group of people over 80 years of age it has remained at 75.53%, more than eleven points below that of a year ago (86.79%), a drop that has even been more pronounced in the two previous groups. ages: both in the 70 to 79 years, which was 63.40% compared to the 81.94% that was achieved in the previous call; as in the 60 to 69, falling from 65.83% to the current 41.09%.
The discourse does not change – “we have a vaccine that is highly effective and has been demonstrated, but as the months go by, immunity decreases and it is important to reinforce it with a new dose, because it is a fundamental preventive tool, especially in “the case of people from risk or vulnerable groups,” Dr. Martínez Ochoa always emphasizes, and that is why Health has not closed the vaccination campaign. «It is still open and available in health centers and, in fact, vaccinations continue because one of the indications that were given when the vaccination started was that people who had had covid in the last three months would wait another three months. months to receive the new dose,” recalls the specialist, who highlights that “this virus is not seasonal, we are seeing that it behaves with peaks and valleys throughout the year and therefore it is advisable that the person who has not been vaccinated in the last campaign, consult your Primary Care doctor.
The objective, to protect people at risk, like the rest of the precautionary measures: “We have been dealing with this virus for a long time, which is still among us, and we have to apply the precautionary measures that we have been learning, general hygiene measures in terms of putting on a mask if we have a respiratory illness, taking care of the most vulnerable, reducing social interactions if we have symptoms, ventilation, hand hygiene…”, concludes the general director of Public Health.
#Argentina
