312 Brazilian Municipalities Report Below 50% Polio Vaccination Rate

Polio vaccination is suggested by WHO prior to visiting at-risk areas
city view of sao paulo large dense city
South America (Precision Vaccinations News)

A report from the Brazilian Ministry of Health dated June 30, 2018, showed that 312 municipalities in Brazil are below the minimum immunization target against child paralysis, reports Vaaju.

According to the Ministry of Health, the low vaccination rate against poliomyelitis is the lowest in the past 16 years.

Brazil’s minimum vaccination target rate for polio is 95%.  

The poliomyelitis vaccine was introduced in Brazil with the first mass vaccination campaign conducted in the cities of Petrópolis, state of Rio de Janeiro, and Santo André, state of São Paulo, in 1961. 

Among the municipalities at risk of recurrence of the disease is Natal, which met 42.6 percent of the vaccine coverage.

The city with the lowest immunization rate was Monte das Gameleiras, with only 18.1 percent of the children up to 1 year old vaccinated.

The Health Coordinator of the State Secretariat for Public Health, Maria de Lima, assures that the vaccines are in stock against poliomyelitis.

“The factors influencing vaccination rates are lack of information, low-risk perception and spread of false news,” said Maria de Lima.

The decline in vaccine coverage against poliomyelitis is emblematic, but low immunization also extends to other diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, meningitis, measles, red dogs, mumps, and chickenpox.

"The major concern is the recurrence of these diseases, some of which are already eliminated as poliomyelitis and others eradicated as measles. The low rate of vaccination can cause major health problems to newborns, and in addition to the children of other states, we are in danger of the whole of Brazil," said Maria de Lima.

Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious viral disease, transmitted person-to-person mainly through the fecal-oral route or, less frequently, by contaminated water/food, and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis, says the WHO. 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends several vaccinations when visiting Brazil. 

But, as of July 5, 2018, the polio vaccine is not listed by the CDC as a suggested pre-trip vaccination.

The CDC did issue a Level 2 Travel Alert for Brazil regarding Yellow Fever, as of June 27, 2018. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all travelers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated.

Additionally, residents and visitors for longer than 4 weeks near infected areas should receive an additional dose of OPV or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) within 4 weeks to 12 months of travel.

Since 2000, the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is the only polio vaccine (4 doses) given to people in the USA, says the CDC.

In the USA, certified travel pharmacies offer relevant vaccines.

Travel vaccination appointments can be scheduled at Vax-Before-Travel.

The CDC suggests international travelers check their polio immunization status with a healthcare provider before visiting these countries.

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides the private sector vaccine prices for general information, and vaccine discounts can be found here.

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects, says the CDC. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the FDA or CDC.

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