According to the World Health Organization (WHO), dengue is a viral infection transmitted from mosquitoes to people. It is more common in tropical and subtropical climates.
The majority of people infected with dengue do not show symptoms. But for those who do, the most common symptoms are high fever, headache, body aches, nausea, and rash. Most recover in 1–2 weeks. Some people develop severe dengue and require hospital care. In severe cases, dengue can be fatal.
The best way to reduce the risk of contracting dengue is to avoid mosquito bites, especially during the day. Dengue is treated with pain relievers, as there is currently no specific treatment.
However, there is something more happening this summer.
Brazil has received the first batch of the dengue vaccine, which will be provided by the country’s public health system, SUS. The government obtained 720,000 doses of the Qdenga vaccine from the Japanese laboratory Takeda Pharma, free of charge. Initial vaccinations are scheduled to begin in February.
In addition, the Ministry of Health will receive approximately 600,000 additional free doses from the manufacturer, totaling 1.32 million. Furthermore, the ministry has acquired 5.2 million doses, with gradual deliveries expected until November.
The combined 6.52 million doses represent the laboratory’s total capacity for this year. However, due to this limitation, only just over 3.2 million individuals will be vaccinated in 2024, as the vaccination schedule requires two doses with a minimum interval of 90 days between them.
The vaccine will be prioritized for children and adolescents aged 10 to 14, as this age group has recorded the highest number of hospitalizations due to dengue, second only to the elderly. However, the vaccine has not yet been approved by Anvisa, Brazil’s national drug regulator, for use in the elderly.
The vaccines will primarily be allocated to large municipalities with high dengue transmission rates over the past decade and to residents of cities with populations over 100,000. Pioneering Initiative
Brazil is the first country to offer the dengue vaccine through a public health system.
Anvisa approved the Japanese vaccine in March of last year, and it has been available in private clinics since July. The vaccine is indicated for people aged 4 to 60 and prevents dengue regardless of previous exposure to the disease, with no need for pre-vaccination testing.Source: WHO and Agência Brasil