Paraguay will receive a batch of 100,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine with the updated Covid-19 composition for the 2026 season in the first week of June. The confirmation came from Luis Cousirat, director of the Expanded Program on Immunization (PAI), after logistical delays by the transport operator.
Once the shipment arrives, distribution and vaccination will begin immediately. The campaign will focus on at-risk populations, following current health authority recommendations: people over 60 and individuals with chronic diseases. Cousirat clarified that, under current guidelines, a healthy person does not have a medical indication to receive annual doses, unlike what happened in the early years of the pandemic.
The PAI director highlighted demand from citizens who need to bring their vaccination schedule up to date for travel abroad. Countries such as the United States still require Covid-19 immunization for visa approval or university admission. "We are receiving requests from people who will go on exchange programs at universities where they require a series of vaccines, and the Covid-19 vaccine is still among them. These people will have the chance to get the dose in our country," Cousirat explained. The recommendation also applies to those planning to travel to Mexico, Canada, or the United States for FIFA World Cup events.
Cousirat dispelled the myth that a medical quarantine period is necessary after vaccination. "You can get vaccinated against Covid-19 today and travel tonight without any problem," he said, encouraging the target audience to seek out vaccination posts as soon as the new immunizers are available.
The announcement comes at a time of alert for respiratory diseases in the country. The latest report from the Directorate General of Health Surveillance showed a 10% increase in consultations for influenza-like illnesses and an 11% rise in hospitalizations for severe acute respiratory infections in the past week. The trend curve remains above the seasonal threshold, with 42,227 accumulated cases of consultations for respiratory conditions nationwide.
In the past week, 324 new hospitalizations were recorded, of which 17% required admission to an intensive care unit. Several viruses were identified in co-circulation, including Rhinovirus, unsubtyped Influenza A, Parainfluenza, Influenza A (H3N2), Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Adenovirus. In 2026, there have already been 72 deaths from respiratory viruses, two of them in the past week, associated with the Influenza A H3N2 strain.
Given this scenario, the Ministry of Health is reinforcing immunization as the main tool to prevent severe complications and deaths. In the Winter Campaign, annual vaccines against Influenza and RSV are available.