La Pan American Health Organization reported this Wednesday that the Americas are experiencing "the highest levels of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic," for which he asked that health authorities issue "a clear guide to protect communities."
It also asked, through its director, that the governments act to increase hospital capacity in the affected areas.
With more than 753.000 deaths and more than 28,5 million cases reported in the Americas, “the figures and trends make it clear that our region must redouble preventive measures, especially in preparation for the end of the year holidays. Now is not the time to relax, "Etienne said at a press conference.
In some countries, “once again we need coordinated efforts to increase hospital capacity in the most affected areas because when hospitals cannot accommodate all the sick, many will die awaiting care", he claimed.
The rise in infections in North America continues to rampage
The Director General of the Organization expressed her concern about continued increase in infections in North America with the arrival of winter in the northern hemisphere.
He explained that in Canada infections continue to increase and that in some provinces a record number of deaths has been reported, while in the United States the daily case counts reach 200.000 and the number of hospitalizations is already over 100.000. In Mexico, a reappearance of cases was reported in the state of Baja California, near the border with the United States.
“In Central America, Panama continues to report a high incidence of COVID-19 cases, and Honduras and Guatemala are experiencing a particular increase in cases in the areas most affected by hurricanes Iota and Eta ”, he highlighted.
He also defined the situation in some South American countries as "worrying", with Brazil reporting the highest incidence of new cases of coronavirus in South America. He added that the health system of the Rio de Janeiro country is "under pressure" and that in some areas the hospitals "are at full throttle".
It also reported an increase in cases and deaths in the areas bordering Colombia with Venezuela and Ecuador.
"Further south, Paraguay is experiencing an increase in infections and health authorities are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the capacity of sufficient beds to care for critical patients," he explained.
Arrival of the vaccine through the COVAX mechanism
PAHO works with the perspective that vaccines manufactured using the COVAX * mechanism will begin to be distributed for use between March and April 2021 and that Latin American countries have already invested through advances and guarantees more than 1000 million to participate in the mechanism.
"It may be that a small quantity will arrive earlier or it may be that it will arrive later, but that is the date that we continue working on because it is the one that seems most feasible to us," explained the deputy director of the Organization.
Jarbas Barbosa differentiated this shipment from that of certain countries through bilateral agreements with vaccine producers. In this case, he indicated that they can receive a small number of vaccines at the end of December, but that he does not have all the information in this regard.
At the same time, he stressed the importance that countries have a national vaccination plan in which any vaccine that arrives serves to protect the most vulnerable: the elderly, health workers and adults who suffer from a prior condition such as hypertension, diabetes or cancer, a group that accounted for around 20% of the population of each country.
"The vaccines that arrive first they will not serve to interrupt the transmission. This is going to take months and during these months we trust that we already know what is needed to reduce transmission (…): maintain all individual and collective measures ”, including the use of masks and keeping the safety distance.
Regarding the obligation to be vaccinated, Barbosa pointed out that it is a decision that depends on each country, such as mandatory vaccination for children in many countries in the region, but that the most important thing is not to discuss this fact but to discuss the obligation to have the vaccine available.
"In other words, have vaccination plans and strengthen all mechanisms, such as COVAX at the global level. COVAX does not yet have all the funds necessary to support the poorest countries in the world. It is very important to call on the donors, the rich countries, that can participate in this mechanism ”, he stressed.
The next two years are going to be critical
“It is not good to make time projections. We cannot despair. It's going to take time, ”said Dr. Marcos Espinal, director of the Department of Communicable Diseases. "The next two years are going to be critical because vaccination is not going to be overnight and in order to have herd immunity you have to have a large part of the population vaccinated, 70%, 80%, 60% and that is not going to happen immediately ”, stressed.
To this temporary factor must be added that many of the vaccines are still in the testing phase, a circumstance that makes their prompt use impossible, so it is necessary to continue with the previously explained protection measures such as the use of masks, hand washing , avoid closed spaces and meetings of people only in small groups.
Allergic reactions to the Pfizer vaccine
Before the news published today that people with a severe allergic history avoid taking the vaccine from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, Barbosa explained that allergic reactions to vaccines are a circumstance that can occur with any drug, for which he pointed out that people who suffered severe allergic reactions to other vaccines not they should take the vaccine from the Pfizer Pharmacy.
During the press conference, the arrival of the rapid antigen detection tests in Ecuador for two weeks was confirmed and that Peru is at risk of having a second wave of coronavirus.
Etienne also expressed his concern about the level of food insecurity that the pandemic has brought to the region since currently Hundreds of thousands of people in Latin America and the Caribbean do not know when their next meal will arrive.
Improve the supply of medical products
Last Monday the Pan American Health Organization and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean they called for a dialogue between the health, industrial, and science and technology sectors of the region.
The meeting highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the “structural weaknesses of the health systems in the region and the bases for rethinking their development, as well as the vulnerability of global supply chains, with the restriction of imports. and the insufficient availability of medical products and health technologies to cover large increases in demand ”.
To these factors must be added the scarce development and the "low level of technological sophistication" of the regional health manufacturing industry, a situation that causes a high external dependence for this type of product.
The Commission considers that only 4% of imports of medical products related to the response to COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean originated in the region itself.
The representatives of the Organization and the Commission agreed on the need to have a new vision of comprehensive policies that takes into account the objectives and needs of the health sector and encourages its industrial development.
“The challenge is to move towards an integrated regional market for medicines and other health technologies, which is founded on shared production and research networks between countries. If it reaches the necessary scale, this market could reduce external dependence and ensure access to the necessary medical products to satisfy regional demand ”, they highlighted.
*COVAX is a mechanism co-directed by the Gavi Alliance for Vaccines, the Coalition for the Promotion of Innovations for Epidemic Preparedness and the World Health Organization. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of vaccines against COVID-19 and ensure fair and equitable access to them for all countries of the world.