The importance of vaccines: they save lives, but there are very low percentages in immunization against diseases

COVID-19 has changed the lives of all Peruvians. Masks have become a constant in people's daily lives and vaccinations have become a daily issue. However, there are other diseases that continue to harass people, but prevention against these ills goes unnoticed.

In a country where vaccines are often thought to be needed only in children, we live with very low rates of immunization against pneumococcus, hepatitis B, cervical cancer and, of course, booster doses against the new coronavirus.

Therefore, and within the framework of the Vaccination Week of the Americas, the infectiologist Verónica Petrozzi spoke with Infobae Peru about the need and importance of continuing to promote immunization of Peruvian and Peruvian women.

HOW ARE WE DOING?

According to official figures from the Ministry of Health, until March 10, vaccination in the third dose was 38.76%. For the doctor, there are two reasons to explain it: people no longer feel the need to be vaccinated, seeing that cases and deaths have decreased; and that information campaigns have been reduced.

On vaccination in children aged 5 to 12 years, the rate of immunized with two doses is only 22.37%. This is influenced both by the distrust that parents may have with vaccines and the lack of information.

“In the case of pediatrics, we see that the disease has not been as serious in children. People think they shouldn't get vaccines they aren't sure about, because there is still the idea that messenger RNA vaccines can cause genetic problems. So, between getting vaccinated with a little-known vaccine versus the disease, which seems not so serious in children, many have chosen not to do so,” he said.

Children are the biggest source of respiratory virus infection, so there is a risk that the disease will spread more strongly. This could increase now that the Government has announced that the capacity in schools will be 100% and that the mask will no longer be mandatory in some regions.

If people don't have their full vaccines, even if they travel through open spaces, they can get infected.

“This will probably also contribute to other viruses appearing. There are viruses, such as influenza and other respiratory viruses, that had practically disappeared in 2021, but they have started again,” Petrozzi explained.

VACCINATION AGAINST OTHER DISEASES

Although the pace of immunization against the new coronavirus has slowed in recent months, there is still good coverage of the second dose nationwide and progress continues to be made in the third dose. In the case of other diseases, there are regions where coverage does not even reach 20%.

Not only could this lead to the recurrence of diseases, but it could affect vulnerable groups. The lack of immunization is greater in adolescents and adults, as there is a belief that vaccines are only applied to infants or infants.

Some of the important vaccines are to counteract hepatitis B, pneumococcus, smallpox, diarrhea or rotavirus, and cervical cancer.

Verónica Petrozzi indicated that Peru had managed to reduce deaths from diarrhea by 50%, but now it could grow. In addition, the target of vaccination in pregnant women, a vulnerable group, is not being met either. “Coverage can even reach up to 20% for the pregnant population, when it should be at 80%,” he said.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

Undoubtedly, the Ministry of Health (Minsa) bears a large part of this responsibility, since it is the entity regulator and the one that develops public health standards. In this sense, during these 9 months of Pedro Castillo's government, this sector has been affected by the entry and exit of officials.

Former Health Minister Hernando Cevallos prioritized vaccination over other aspects and immunization rates increased. However, with the arrival of former Minister Hernán Condori and the resignations of high-level officials, including the former director of immunizations at Minsa, Gabriela Jiménez; there was no continuation of successful strategies.

But regional authorities also have direct responsibility for vaccination.

“The one who makes sure that vaccine coverage is good is in each region, there goes a lot to cut down the role of municipalities. Each region has the power to see how it gets the money, how it implements the campaigns; but that has always been the problem,” said the infectiologist.

So, the regions that have a lot to explain are Madre de Dios and Puno, because they are the ones that still have the most gaps high with the third dose and sectors with less than 20% coverage.

However, there is part of responsibility in citizenship. “Sometimes we think that vaccines have to reach us, but we must have a more spontaneous agency,” Petrozzi said.

If one thing is certain, it is that vaccines save lives. The State has a responsibility to provide information and access, and individuals have the responsibility to put their shoulders.

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