Residents of Rio de Janeiro begin getting vaccinated against the flu.
In total, 1.334.371 people are in the priority groups for vaccination in the municipality of Rio. The goal, according to the Municipal Health Department, is to immunize at least 80% of each group, which together represent 1.067.497 people.
From Agência Brasil
Rio de Janeiro - From the early hours of this Monday (15), many people were already queuing in front of the Sérgio Vieira de Mello Family Clinic, in the northern zone of the capital of Rio de Janeiro, to get vaccinated against the flu. The campaign was launched there in the city, which also started throughout the country. Around 8 am, patients began to be attended to, and the service continued without problems throughout the morning.
For domestic worker Solange Aparecida, who brought her 1-year-and-8-month-old daughter Luana to get vaccinated, the news encouraged people to go to health centers. "I hope everyone comes and gets vaccinated. I'm going to tell all my friends who have young children and my mother and father who are over 60. I don't want anyone to get sick because they didn't get vaccinated," she said.
The target audience includes seniors aged 60 and over, children aged 6 months to 2 years, indigenous people, pregnant women, women in the postpartum period (up to 45 days after childbirth), people with chronic illnesses, and healthcare professionals. In total, 1.334.371 people are in the priority groups for vaccination in the municipality of Rio. The goal, according to the Municipal Health Department, is to immunize at least 80% of each group, which together represent 1.067.497 people.
According to the municipal undersecretary of Health, Daniel Soranz, the main objective is to prevent hospitalizations and deaths due to the flu. "Our expectation is that citizens will come in large numbers to get vaccinated. This work aims to save lives. We cannot allow people to have any kind of complication because of a flu that could have been prevented," he said.
In total, 130 health centers and 70 family clinics will offer the vaccine free of charge, which protects against influenza subtypes: A (H1N1), swine flu, A (H3N2) and B. The units will operate from Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 17 pm until April 26. On Saturday (20), the National Mobilization Day against Influenza will take place, when vaccination points will be set up in churches, community centers and daycare centers. The addresses of the vaccination centers can be found by calling 1746 or on the Rio de Janeiro city hall website.
Edited by: Carolina Pimentel