MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay's Society of Pediatrics advises against Covid-19 vax for kids

According to Uruguay's Health Ministry (MSP), Covid-19 activity has remained at “intermediate-high levels” in recent weeks

Uruguay's Society of Pediatrics Wednesday issued a statement in Montevideo advising against vaccinating children against COVID-19 and insisting on the convenience of other non-pharmacological measures to prevent the spread of the malady.

Children should not be given the booster dose unless they are in a risk group, the experts stressed as the Uruguayan Government is launching next week a new campaign to apply booster doses with a focus on the elderly, people with comorbidities, and those with Down syndrome. Residents at homes for the elderly have already voiced their reluctance to any further injections out of concerns for possible side effects.

In any case, the pediatricians' guild asked parents or guardians to discuss the matter with their children's treating physicians. It is also recommended not to expose children to people who are sick or have respiratory symptoms and keep them away from crowded places. Children who need to be in contact with a person with respiratory symptoms were asked to wear a facemask.

The experts also underlined the importance of ventilating indoor spaces and avoiding exposure to smoke, especially that from tobacco. They also insisted children needed to wash their hands with soap and water before and after eating, and also after touching landline telephones, public computers, supermarket carts, and after riding buses.

If a child has any respiratory symptoms, they should not attend schools, hospitals, or sports centers.

Uruguayan authorities also explained on Wednesday that four deaths had been reported with Covid-19 this month after 11 cases were admitted to intensive care. Most coronavirus patients were older adults whose age group was more likely to be tested. According to Uruguay's Health Ministry (MSP), Covid-19 activity has remained at “intermediate-high levels” in recent weeks.

However, influenza “has remained at low levels of circulation during the last four epidemiological weeks”. The predominant influenza viruses ”have been mainly A(H3N2) and B/Victoria, followed by A(H1N1)pdm09. In epidemiological week three, people over 15 years of age showed a rate of acute respiratory infections (ARI) of ”0.81/100,000 inhabitants (preliminary data),“ the MSP's Health Surveillance Area-DEVISA stated.

Acute respiratory infections are prevalent in children under 15 and are currently ”declining,” it was also noted.