The Ministry of Health promotes this Tuesday (4), from 10 am, a public hearing to discuss the vaccination against covid-19 of children aged 5 to 11 years. The debate will take place at the headquarters of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in Brasília.
Representatives of the portfolio and specialists from entities linked to the subject discuss the inclusion of the age group in the National Plan for the Operationalization of Vaccination against Covid-19. So far, only people aged 12 and over can be immunized against the disease in Brazil.
This Monday (3), the Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, said that doses for children aged 5 to 11 years should start arriving in Brazil in the second half of January. The Pfizer laboratory, manufacturer of the immunizing agent, confirmed the deadline provided for by the folder.
Anvisa
Two weeks ago, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) gave the approval for the application of the Pfizer vaccine in children in the age group in question. Therefore, the ministry released vaccination for children, upon presentation of a medical prescription.
So far, at least 20 states and the Federal District have already stated that they will not require a medical request at the time of vaccination. They are: Acre, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro , Santa Catarina, São Paulo and Sergipe.
Doctors
In a statement, the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB) defended the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years. According to the entity, Anvisa’s authorization for the application of the immunizing agent follows the same safety and efficacy criteria used for other age groups.
“We emphasize that children can also be affected by the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome associated with SARS-Cov-2; develop sequelae and long covid. Therefore, vaccination is essential to reduce/avoid suffering, hospitalizations and deaths”, declared the AMB.
The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) also released a technical note in which it defends a rigorous technical analysis by Anvisa in the authorization process for the immunizing agent. The organization highlighted that childhood vaccination has already started in other countries and is considered a fundamental tool in the control of the pandemic.
Public consultation
Last Sunday (2), the ministry closed a public consultation on the vaccination of children against covid-19. The proposal, according to the folder, was “to inform and learn about the doubts and contributions of the scientific society and the population” on the subject.
Also according to the federal government, the inclusion of the age group in the National Plan for the Operationalization of Vaccination should prioritize children with permanent disabilities or comorbidities and those living with people at high risk for serious development of covid-19.
In the case of children without comorbidity, the order of priority goes from the oldest to the youngest, starting with the group of 10 and 11 years old.
Supreme
The public consultation was contested in the Federal Supreme Court (STF) by the National Confederation of Metallurgical Workers. Last Friday (31), minister Carmen Lúcia gave president Jair Bolsonaro and minister Marcelo Queiroga a period of five days to provide information.
The confederation wants the Supreme to determine to the Union that the vaccination of children becomes mandatory and that the age group is urgently included in the National Immunization Plan.
The Ministry of Health promotes this Tuesday (4), from 10 am, a public hearing to discuss the vaccination against covid-19 of children aged 5 to 11 years. The debate will take place at the headquarters of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in Brasília.
Representatives of the portfolio and specialists from entities linked to the subject discuss the inclusion of the age group in the National Plan for the Operationalization of Vaccination against Covid-19. So far, only people aged 12 and over can be immunized against the disease in Brazil.
This Monday (3), the Minister of Health, Marcelo Queiroga, said that doses for children aged 5 to 11 years should start arriving in Brazil in the second half of January. The Pfizer laboratory, manufacturer of the immunizing agent, confirmed the deadline provided for by the folder.
Anvisa
Two weeks ago, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) gave the approval for the application of the Pfizer vaccine in children in the age group in question. Therefore, the ministry released vaccination for children, upon presentation of a medical prescription.
So far, at least 20 states and the Federal District have already stated that they will not require a medical request at the time of vaccination. They are: Acre, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro , Santa Catarina, São Paulo and Sergipe.
Doctors
In a statement, the Brazilian Medical Association (AMB) defended the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years. According to the entity, Anvisa’s authorization for the application of the immunizing agent follows the same safety and efficacy criteria used for other age groups.
“We emphasize that children can also be affected by the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome associated with SARS-Cov-2; develop sequelae and long covid. Therefore, vaccination is essential to reduce/avoid suffering, hospitalizations and deaths”, declared the AMB.
The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) also released a technical note in which it defends a rigorous technical analysis by Anvisa in the authorization process for the immunizing agent. The organization highlighted that childhood vaccination has already started in other countries and is considered a fundamental tool in the control of the pandemic.
Public consultation
Last Sunday (2), the ministry closed a public consultation on the vaccination of children against covid-19. The proposal, according to the folder, was “to inform and learn about the doubts and contributions of the scientific society and the population” on the subject.
Also according to the federal government, the inclusion of the age group in the National Plan for the Operationalization of Vaccination should prioritize children with permanent disabilities or comorbidities and those living with people at high risk for serious development of covid-19.
In the case of children without comorbidity, the order of priority goes from the oldest to the youngest, starting with the group of 10 and 11 years old.
Supreme
The public consultation was contested in the Federal Supreme Court (STF) by the National Confederation of Metallurgical Workers. Last Friday (31), minister Carmen Lúcia gave president Jair Bolsonaro and minister Marcelo Queiroga a period of five days to provide information.
The confederation wants the Supreme to determine to the Union that the vaccination of children becomes mandatory and that the age group is urgently included in the National Immunization Plan.