Vaccination against dengue once again focuses on the public aged 10 to 14

The vaccination campaign against dengue in the Federal District is once again exclusive to children and adolescents aged 10 to 14. More than 12 thousand doses were received last week and, following guidance from the Ministry of Health (MS), the focus is to expand protection in this age group. In the country’s capital, less than a third of this public was vaccinated.

The Federal District Health Department (SES-DF) started the vaccination campaign on February 9, initially aimed at children and adolescents between 10 and 11 years old; and was expanded on March 5th to 12, 13 and 14 year olds. As of April 13, just over 54,000 doses had been administered, which represents around 30% of the target audience. Among 10-year-old boys and girls, the rate reached 47.4%. Among 14-year-olds, 19.2% received the first dose.

There are more than 80 service locations from Monday to Friday, in addition to actions carried out on weekends. “We have vaccine rooms stocked and we invite families to take their children and adolescents aged 10 to 14 to protect themselves against dengue”, says the DF Health Secretary, Lucilene Florêncio.

According to the MS, the focus on the 10 to 14 year old audience is explained by numbers. Between 2019 and 2023, this was the age range of most people who needed to be hospitalized due to dengue in Brazil. With the vaccine, the expectation is to achieve an overall efficacy of 80.2%, following data obtained in the laboratory. The effectiveness against hospitalization should reach 90.4%.

New audiences

According to the manager of the Central Cold Chain of the Department of Health (SES-DF), Tereza Luiza Pereira, the application of vaccines to the public aged 6 to 16 years old, carried out last week, was an orientation from the MS itself due to the expiration date of a batch of doses, which would occur on April 30th. “The DF follows the regulations of the National Immunization Program [PNI]. Our role is to effectively distribute the vaccines sent by the ministry and make them available in vaccination rooms, in accordance with the guidelines,” he explains.

The new batch of 12 thousand doses expires in 2025, therefore, there is no longer any immediate concern about the loss of vaccines. An expansion of the target audience depends on new guidance from the MS, through the PNI.

Second dose

The DF is still awaiting the shipment of vaccines for the application of the second dose, scheduled to occur 90 days after the first. Anyone who was vaccinated on February 9th, for example, will need to return to a care location from May 9th.

Only those aged 6 to 9 and 15 and 16 who were vaccinated against dengue on Thursday (18) and Friday (19) of this month will be entitled to receive the second dose at SES-DF units, after the break 90 days.

Guidelines

If the child or adolescent has been diagnosed with dengue, it is necessary to wait six months to start the vaccination schedule. If there is dengue contamination after the first dose, the scheduled date for the second vaccine must be maintained, as long as the 30-day interval between this and the infection is respected.

*With information from the Federal District Health Department (SES-DF)