IMSS maintains high coverage of childhood vaccination during pandemic while launching new HPV vaccine campaign

The Mexican Social Security Institute Maintains Child Vaccination Coverage Above 95% During the Pandemic

The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) has successfully maintained child vaccination coverage above 95% during the pandemic. The IMSS launched campaigns that encouraged parents to vaccinate their children, and as a result, the coverage remains at 95%, and even 100% for some vaccines.

Campaigns to Encourage Immunization of Children Under Eight Years of Age

Dr. Mirna Guadalupe López Gutiérrez, assistant and medical coordinator in public health at the IMSS, points out that the Institute did not have a significant impact on reducing child vaccination coverage during the pandemic. This is because they carried out several successful campaigns that encouraged parents to vaccinate their children, despite the confinement measures.

Institutional coverage of 95% was achieved, which is what the IMSS proposes in terms of coverage of the basic childhood vaccination scheme, which goes from birth to eight years. Today, coverage remains at 95%, and even 100% for some vaccines, thanks to public health days at the national level as well as the promotion of intramural and extramural vaccination.

The Importance of Vaccination Against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) for Girls Between 10 and 14 Years Old

Vaccination against HPV is about to begin for girls between the ages of 10 and 14 who have not yet received it. Dr. Mirna López encourages beneficiaries and the general population to go to the IMSS units to receive the immunization, as 16,000 HPV vaccines recently arrived. It is extremely important that girls have this vaccine before starting an active sexual life, as this can end cervical cancer. Girls should receive a single dose of HPV, and for this they can go to any IMSS family medicine unit from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Most Important Vaccines for Children Under One Year of Age

According to Dr. Mirna López, all vaccines are a priority for children under 8 years of age, although emphasis is always placed on the scheme for children under one year of age. At birth, BCG (tuberculosis) and hepatitis vaccines are given to babies in IMSS hospitals, and when they are born in other institutions, emphasis is placed on vaccination when they take the babies for child control or preventive consultation. The most important vaccines for children under one year of age are the hexavalent and the triple viral, which protect against diseases such as poliomyelitis, hepatitis, diphtheria, measles, rubella, among others.

No Shortage of Vaccines

Dr. Mirna López denies that there is a shortage of vaccines, “there is availability to cover the basic vaccination schedules for minors.” The invitation is for parents, caregivers or caregivers of children under eight years of age to go to the family medicine units with their national health card to receive the vaccines corresponding to their age, or to catch up on cases in which there is some lag or delay in vaccination, it is only a matter of going to the health units where vaccination is free and universal.