Bogotá DC, November 18, 2022. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection proposed the organization of the period of vaccination intensification, the last quarter of the year, both for the Expanded Program on Immunizations (EPI), and vaccination against COVID-19.
Communication strategies are underway, together with the territorial entities and with the Administrative Benefit Plan Organizations (EAPBs), with the aim of increasing vaccination coverage in the country, which, in simple words, means that, with greater coverage comes greater protection against vaccine-preventable diseases of the population living in our country.
María Belén Jaimes, deputy director of communicable diseases, stated that the Colombian schedule has 21 vaccines that protect against 29 diseases, plus the vaccine against COVID-19. Administration of the latter in the country began on February 17, 2021.
Among the diseases preventable by vaccines are tuberculous meningitis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, meningitis, respiratory disease due to influenza virus, poliomyelitis, diarrhea due to rotavirus, pneumonia, otitis, invasive bacteremia due to streptococcus pneumoniae, measles, rubella, congenital rubella syndrome, mumps, chickenpox, herpes zoster, hepatitis A, yellow fever, cervical cancer, neonatal tetanus, rabies, and SARS-CoV-2.
"In the EPI we have vaccines for people of all age groups: birth, childhood, adolescence, youth, pregnancy, adulthood, and old age. Newborns should be vaccinated, ideally in the first 12 hours of life, against hepatitis B and tuberculosis (BCG)," said María Belén, pointing out that this protection should also be administered to boys and girls starting at 0 to 5 years old (at 2, 4, 6, 7, 12, 18 months and 5 years).
On the other hand, girls between the ages of 9 and 17 should be vaccinated against the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) to prevent cervical cancer; and children between 1 and 11 years of age who have not had the dose of yellow fever.
"As for pregnant women, they should be vaccinated against COVID-19 at week 12 of pregnancy; at week 14 against influenza and as of week 26, against whooping cough (acellular TdaP)," the doctor pointed out.
She also explained that women between 10 and 49 years old should be vaccinated against tetanus, as well as all adults 60+ years old, people with comorbidities and health care workforce should receive their influenza vaccine.
Inoculation against yellow fever also targets the population 12-59 years of age who has not been vaccinated and who lives in municipalities at risk.
Last but not least, people aged 3 and over can receive the COVID-19 vaccine, either to start, complete or boost their vaccination schedule.
This is the information on coverage:
1. Newborns: Tuberculosis BCG: 69.6% – Hepatitis B: 68.3%
2. Boys and girls 0-5 years old:
· Children under 1 year: Pentavalent 3rd dose: 72.5%
· Children at 1 year: Triple viral single dose: 65.8% and yellow fever: 62.6%
· 18-month-old children: DPT 1st booster: 63.7%
· 5-year-old children: Triple viral booster: 68.8%
3. Girls aged 9 to 17 years: HPV 1st dose: 28.4% - 2nd dose: 8.5%
4. Pregnant women:
· Pregnancy at week 12: COVID 1st dose: 45.5% - 2nd dose: 28.4%
· Pregnancy at week 14: Influenza single dose 69.0%
· Pregnancy at week 26: Pertussis (acellular TdaP) single dose 59.5%
5. Adults aged 60 and over with influenza: 79.8%
6. Persons 3 years and older for the vaccine against Covid-19 according to the schedule
Children 3-11 years old
· First: 67.4%
· Second: 47.5%
Population 3 years and older:
· First or single: 84.2%
· Second + single: 72.1%
Population aged 12 and over:
· 1st booster: 43.1%
· 2nd booster: 7%
Finally, it is important to mention that the goal for the national vaccination intensification event in November will have a central day which is this Saturday the 19th. The aim is to vaccinate:
140,688 newborns with doses of BCG
132,358 children under one year of age with a third dose of Pentavalent
136,695 1-year-old boys and girls with their first dose of Triple Viral
159,111 5-year-old boys and girls with Triple Viral booster
Also included is the susceptible public pending vaccination with the biologicals in the schedule, including seasonal influenza and covid-19.
"Let's not forget that vaccines are safe, effective and free; let's protect ourselves from diseases," concluded Jaimes.
