The Baixada Santista region, consisting of nine cities, has commenced a vaccination campaign against dengue fever, utilizing a single-dose vaccine developed by the Instituto Butantan and certified by Anvisa. This initiative is particularly focused on health professionals, with a priority given to the Agents of Endemic Combat (ACEs) as they are on the front lines in combatting the disease. The campaign kicked off with varied timelines across the municipalities, where some began administering the vaccine on Monday (9), while others were scheduled to start later in the week as they received their vaccine doses.

On Saturday, the region received a shipment of 318 doses, which are being utilized primarily for health workers in primary care and endemic control agents at local polyclinics. This new vaccine regimen distinguishes itself from the previously available vaccines for children and adolescents aged 5 to 14 years, which necessitate two doses for completion. The single-dose approach is intended to expedite the vaccination process while ensuring essential frontline workers receive timely protection against dengue fever.

Currently, there are no announcements regarding future shipments or the identification of subsequent priority groups for vaccination. Health Secretary Fabio Lopes indicated the importance of this initiative for public health, particularly in light of increasing dengue cases, and emphasized the ongoing need for vaccinations and preventive measures in the region's fight against this endemic disease.