The Ministry of Public Health of Paraguay, through the Expanded Immunization Program (PAI), reported significant progress in the national influenza vaccination campaign, with 806,275 doses applied to date. The initiative aims to mitigate the impact of respiratory diseases before the seasonal peak of viral circulation.
According to official records, dose distribution followed age prioritization criteria: 590,092 doses were administered to people under 50 years old; 63,573 doses in the 50 to 59 age group; and 152,610 doses in adults aged 60 and over. Additionally, 18,842 doses of the pneumococcal vaccine were applied to prevent bacterial complications such as pneumonia and meningitis.
For this season, the public health system has 1,500,000 doses of the influenza vaccine, whose formulation was updated according to international guidelines to neutralize circulating strains of Influenza A (H1N1), Influenza A (H3N2), and Influenza B. The pneumococcal vaccine protects against multiple pneumococcus serotypes.
The PAI highlighted the work of health teams in hospitals, health regions, and family health units through outreach and community efforts. Vaccination is free and available throughout the authorized vaccination network in the country.
Health authorities emphasized the importance of timely immunization, especially for high-risk groups such as young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with chronic diseases, in order to reduce hospitalizations, severe cases, and deaths. The population can check the location and hours of vaccination centers on the official website www.vacunate.gov.py.