In the middle of the summer season, the Ministry of Health of the province of Neuquén continues to apply vaccines in simultaneous campaigns that seek to expand coverage against the coronavirus At the same time, the applications of the regular calendar and specific vaccination against other pathologies, such as influenza, rubella or poliomyelitis, are maintained. From the government they offered advice for those who were left behind in the vaccination scheme against COVID-19.
The year 2022 closed in Neuquén with 486,617 applications throughout the provincial territory of the coronavirus vaccine, among which are vaccines of the original scheme, with two doses, and first and second boosters. Although there are some inhabitants who met the deadlines and already had four punctures, there are others who only completed the initial scheme. Thus, the question was raised about the possible access to this fifth dose that is now applied in health centers.
Soledad Soberón, director of Primary Health Care in Neuquén, explained in a radio interview that the vaccines have the same components, so users should not apply several doses in order to access the application of the fifth. “They must follow the same order, the first and second doses come, and then the reinforcements,” she said, adding: “If the first and second doses were applied, the first reinforcement will be your turn.”
As he pointed out that “the vaccines are the same”, he clarified that there are no problems if people attend the campaigns for the application of the fifth dose -or third reinforcement- and the first reinforcement is applied after the initial scheme. What he did stress is the importance of waiting at least 120 days between one application and the next. In the event that the period between the two vaccines is extended, all you have to do is resume the scheme with the reinforcements that are pending and wait 120 days to reinforce the immunization again.
Soberón assured that there is more demand for vaccinations and attributed them to dissemination campaigns and the empathy of the population, which applies reinforcements to prevent hospital beds from being saturated. “The vaccine does not prevent the disease from being acquired, but it does prevent it from passing through it in a more favorable way; it also reduces hospitalizations and mortality,” he said.
Those who wish to apply a reinforcement may attend hospitals and health centers from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or to the health centers of Villa Florencia, Almafuerte and Progreso between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. , in Jujuy 353 of Neuquén capital, between 9 and 14.
The Ministry is advancing with simultaneous strategies to apply the coronavirus vaccines while also respecting the applications of the regular calendar and specific campaign vaccines. “For the first time, the health teams worked simultaneously on three vaccination campaigns: COVID-19, Flu and Regular Calendar, together with the extra doses of Measles, Rubella, Mumps and Polio (SRPP). This resulted in the application of more of 1,130,000 vaccines in the Province throughout the year”, reported from the Ministry.
“Vaccination is a health priority in which we work permanently in order to care for the health of Neuquinos and for this we have made progress in facilitating accessibility and territoriality, as our governor Omar Gutiérrez has asked us. In addition, it is appropriate to mention that we are getting closer to the completion of the Provincial Vaccine Depository in the town of Centenario, thanks to joint work with the Nation and the Municipality,” said the Minister of Health, Andrea Peve.