- So far, more than 90% of Mexican adults have already received the Covid-19 vaccine.
- Doses of the immunization are planned to be purchased from Pfizer-BioNTech for use in children between 5 and 11 years of age.
- It is also planned to use the Abdala vaccine, although it does not have a health registry in Mexico, to protect infants.
At least during the last two months, our country has achieved relative control of the pandemic. But although this is good news, it does not mean that the problem is over. In any case, the Undersecretary of Health, Hugo López-Gatell, assured that Mexico is prepared to face an eventual fifth wave of Covid-19.
From the Headquarters of the World Health Organization (WHO), in Geneva, The official indicated that the vaccination of more than 90 percent of the population, the provision of reinforcements, Operative April and the hospital infrastructure, guarantee the capacity of our country to face any type of outbreak.
He added that there is also a federal reserve of 10.5 million vaccines against COVID-19 in force. With this, it is planned to immunize people who live in remote communities. Likewise, he expressed his confidence that before the end of 2022, vaccination of girls and boys from 5 to 11 years of age will begin.
Will there be a fifth wave of Covid-19 in Mexico?
López-Gatell Ramírez reiterated that the epidemic has not been declared over. The biological, epidemic and ecological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus suggest that it will continue to be present like many respiratory viruses such as influenza.
The global community of science and public health considers that the virus will begin to have more predictable cycles with increases in the cold season -October to March- and decrease in the heat season -from April to September-.
“Until this moment it has not entered this cycle. Mexico has had a long period of respite from the COVID-19 epidemic, but it would not be surprising if we began to experience a rebound, due to the resurgence of the disease in other countries. If this scenario arises, it will be reported in a timely manner how it has been done.
He announced that the federal government is in negotiations with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer-BioNTech, for the acquisition of vaccines against COVID-19 that will be applied to girls and boys from five to 11 years old, for whom a lower dose is required than that of adults.
According to the Abdullah vaccinethe undersecretary for Prevention and Health Promotion clarified that, although it does not have a sanitary registry in Mexico, the governments of our country and Cuba work in a coordinated manner to complete the sanitary verification process and guarantee that they meet the quality requirements, safety and efficacy, and thus give way to contracting pediatric doses.
Topics addressed at the 75th World Health Assembly
Undersecretary López-Gatell indicated that, in the meeting with WHO member statesthe importance of developing capacities for preparation, response and recovery in the face of high-impact health emergencies such as COVID-19 was discussed, not only in terms of disease burden, but also the social and economic burden that the world has experienced since more than 100 years ago.
Mexican delegation reported on its participation in the 75th Assembly of @QUIEN, which takes place in Geneva, Switzerland. Opportunities were identified for Mexico to strengthen its capacities in public health in areas such as the transformation of the National Health System. pic.twitter.com/kE4fLrmUe7
– HEALTH Mexico (@SSalud_mx) May 27, 2022
Among the issues addressed during the assembly, he highlighted the inequality in the distribution of health supplies, both vaccines and medicines, devices and personal protective equipment in some regions of the world.
As an example, he pointed out that the African region has had access to less than 11 percent of the vaccines produced in the world. While some countries like Mexico have achieved coverage above 90 percent.
As for the situation of the monkeypox, made it clear that so far Mexico has not recorded cases of monkeypox. In this context, he indicated that there are no formal studies on the degree of protection conferred by the vaccine against smallpox.
López-Gatell Ramírez also reported that, during the 75th WHO Assembly, the Mexican delegation shared the recent changes to the General Mental Health Law, which has as a priority to close the inequality gap in this area, through care from the level community for timely detection and training of 37,000 professionals.
To an express question, he pointed out that the budget to provide comprehensive mental health care in general medical units is guaranteed, and that they are working on the primary health care model for this type of ailment.
He explained that during the 75th Assembly Collaboration with other nations on issues such as the control of chronic non-communicable diseases was agreed upon. Among them, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cancer and cardiovascular diseases.