Visiting a dengue fever vaccination site in Brazil: As soon as the vaccine was sold out, citizens rushed to kill mosquitoes

China News Service, Sao Paulo, February 29, Title: Visiting the Dengue Fever Vaccination Site in Brazil: As soon as the vaccine was sold out, citizens rushed to kill mosquitoes

　　China News Service reporter Lin Chunyin

　　Drive 35 minutes east from Sao Paulo, Brazil along the Tiete River, and you will enter Guarulhos, the second largest city in Sao Paulo state, where Brazil's busiest international airport is located.

　　In late February, 521 cities across Brazil launched large-scale dengue fever vaccination campaigns, with priority given to adolescents aged 10 to 14 years old.

Guarulhos was included in the first batch of vaccination cities and has 25 vaccination points.

Since February this year, large-scale dengue fever vaccination has been launched in more than 500 cities across Brazil.

The picture shows the Tranquillidad vaccination site in the central city of Guarulhos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil.

Photo by China News Service reporter Lin Chunyin

　　A few days ago, reporters went to the Tranquillidad vaccination site in central Guarulhos.

When the vehicle turned right from Airport Boulevard into the Tranquillidad community, it was intercepted by several police officers with live ammunition.

When the police released him, they said that the area was adjacent to a "very dangerous" slum and they should be vigilant.

　　"Community security is acceptable, but it is really difficult to eliminate mosquitoes." Valeska Mion, director of health inspection at the Tranquillidad vaccination site, has just returned from inspecting the community and urging residents to clear stagnant water.

“Especially in poor communities, massive mobilization is needed,” she said.

　　Mion said that there is no specific cure for dengue fever, and there are currently many deaths. "Due to excessive temperatures, excessive rainfall, and the impact of El Niño, the peak is predicted to arrive in March and April. It is very important to prevent dengue fever."

　　According to the latest data disclosed by the Brazilian Ministry of Health on the 27th, in the first eight weeks of this year, Brazil reported 973,000 suspected cases of dengue fever, 195 confirmed deaths, and 672 deaths are under investigation.

As the largest city in Brazil, Sao Paulo state has a population of more than 44 million and has reported more than 160,000 suspected cases, ranking second in the country with the number of reported suspected cases.

　　Mion said that epidemic prevention is urgent, and the current work is focused on preventing mosquitoes and "waiting for more vaccines."

Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical announced on February 27 that it will reach the goal of delivering 100 million doses by 2030 through cooperation with the Indian Bio-E. coli Laboratory.

The picture shows the dengue fever vaccine produced by Takeda Pharmaceutical.

Photo by China News Service reporter Lin Chunyin

　　According to Mion, the Guarulhos City Hall launched the "Stop Dengue Fever" operation in the Kabusu area on February 24, fogging and disinfecting community streets.

According to the latest deployment of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the country will also hold a "National Mobilization Day to Fight Dengue Fever" on March 2.

　　Mion has been engaged in epidemic prevention work for the past 20 years. In her opinion, as long as society and the government take joint actions, take measures to eliminate the sources of breeding, and all people are vaccinated, the dengue fever epidemic can be controlled.

But she also bluntly said that the current vaccination has just begun and it will take time to fully vaccinate everyone. "So the best way at the moment is to truly eliminate mosquito vectors and reduce the number of patients."

　　At the vaccination site, the reporter saw that citizens who came for consultation were required to fill in triage forms and fill in relevant symptoms and preliminary physical examination data.

In the vaccination room, a mother and her two six- and seven-year-old children were consulting about vaccination contraindications.

The resident said that his neighbor's 14-year-old child had been infected with dengue fever for the second time and had a fever for two consecutive days. "The lights in their house were on for two nights. We all prayed for him during such sleepless nights."

　　However, the nurse told reporters that there was not much vaccine left and "we waited a week and another week."

　　The reporter learned that the only vaccine against dengue fever approved in Brazil so far comes from Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical, and the country's Butantan Institute is in the final stage of vaccine development.

　　Takeda Pharmaceutical disclosed on the 27th that it will cooperate with the Indian Bio-E. coli Laboratory to expand vaccine production and will produce 50 million doses of dengue fever vaccine every year, reaching the goal of delivering 100 million doses by 2030.

　　The Tranquillidad vaccination site has vaccinated 3,593 children against dengue fever since February 20.

Patricia Rosa, head of the technical department of the vaccination site, told reporters that there are more than 110,000 school-age children in Guarulhos, and 34,270 doses of vaccines have been received so far. There is still a certain gap. "We hope to receive enough doses within this year." Vaccine to achieve 100% coverage." (End)