Yellow fever records in Brazil are putting health officials on alert. The concern is due to new cases identified in recent months.
Between December 2018 and January 2019, 36 people were diagnosed with the disease in 11 cities in Brazil.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2017 and 2018 there were 1,376 diagnoses of yellow fever in humans (the disease can also affect animals). Of those numbers, 483 people died.
To prevent a new wave of the disease from spreading, the WHO launched a vaccination campaign with the new indication that all states in the country should be immunized .
South and Southeast deserve attention
The Ministry of Health promoted campaigns on social networks and other media with guidelines on the vaccine, as some regions have not yet met the goal of vaccination coverage. In the South and Southeast, for example, around 50 million people in total have not been vaccinated .
The campaign also warns about the circulation of the virus in the South and the number of cases in the Southwest part of Brazil, with 451 confirmed cases.
The alert also serves those who are going to travel to these areas. In such cases, it is important that people who have not yet been vaccinated seek a post in the Unified Health System (SUS) or vaccination centers to receive the dose.
Travelers must show up about 10 days before departure with the vaccination card.
People who do not have proof of vaccination and do not know if they have been immunized should also get the vaccine, to prevent yellow fever from spreading further, as the goal is for all Brazilian states to reach the Ministry of Health goal of 95% coverage in immunization.
The vaccine
The main method of prevention against yellow fever, the vaccine is recommended for children from 9 months to 55 years of age, being contraindicated for pregnant women, the elderly and babies under 9 months.
Immunization is also indicated for foreigners who are in high-risk areas, in order to contain the threat of the virus spreading to other countries.
The vaccine, which functions as a device, when applied to the arm region releases a weakened version of the virus that will act as a barrier activator against that disease.
In addition, the vaccine may also have a difference in the type that will be applied, and may be fractionated or standard dose.
This happens when it is necessary to immunize the population quickly and there is not yet a stock of vaccines for that, so the government authorizes a part (fractionated) while the rest is produced.
However, this does not interfere with the effects of immunization. But it is necessary that the two doses are taken to have a protection for a longer time, since the complete dose lasts for a lifetime, while the fractional dose protects for at least 8 years.
The vaccine offered free by SUS is the best way to prevent yellow fever, as the chances of contracting the disease are low, in addition to not offering risks to those who receive it.
