The vaccination campaign against influenza in Belém has been officially extended to March 31, as announced by the Municipal Health Secretariat (Sesma). This decision aims to bolster the strategies against influenza and to increase vaccination rates in the city, where only 23.34% of the targeted groups, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly, have received their flu shots. This figure represents approximately 74,780 individuals, significantly below the Ministry of Health's goal of achieving a 95% vaccination rate.

To address these low vaccination numbers, Sesma hopes that the extension of the vaccination period will encourage more people from the priority groups to visit health posts for their vaccinations. Unlike in previous months, shopping malls will no longer serve as additional vaccination sites. Instead, vaccinations will be conducted solely at the Basic Health Units (UBSs) across Belém during weekdays from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

The local health authorities are stressing the importance of vaccination, particularly as the flu season can lead to serious health complications for the vulnerable populations targeted by this campaign. The gradual increase in vaccination uptake is crucial to prevent outbreaks and protect public health, especially considering the current percentage of vaccinated individuals remains far from the ideal threshold set by health officials.