Less than 14% of children aged six months to five years in Porto Alegre have received the flu vaccine three weeks into the immunization campaign, according to data released by the Ministry of Health on Thursday.
This figure, reported by multiple local outlets, underscores growing concern among health officials about low immunization rates among one of the most vulnerable groups to respiratory complications. The low uptake comes despite the vaccine being widely available across the city’s health units, including 20 locations offering extended hours until 10 p.m. To improve access.
Statewide data from Rio Grande do Sul shows an even starker picture: only 10% of children in the same age group have been vaccinated, with 66,000 doses administered out of an eligible population of 660,000. Across all priority groups — including pregnant women, elderly individuals, and those with comorbidities — vaccination coverage stands at 21%, still far below the 90% target set by health authorities.
Health officials warn that the slow pace leaves children exposed to severe outcomes as winter approaches. “Even when it seems like a common flu, it can progress to complications like pneumonia and require hospitalization, especially in younger children,” said Loren Seibel, a family and community medicine physician with Porto Alegre’s Municipal Health Secretariat, in statements repeated across all three sources.
Seibel emphasized that vaccinating children not only protects them but also helps reduce virus transmission within households, shielding infants under six months who are ineligible for the vaccine, as well as elderly relatives and others with weakened immune systems. “When many children are vaccinated, they create a kind of protective barrier,” she explained. “This reduces viral circulation and ends up protecting those who are more vulnerable.”
The vaccine, which is safe and does not cause the flu, must be administered annually due to the virus’s constant evolution. Health officials stress that higher immunization rates would decrease community transmission, prevent severe cases, and alleviate pressure on healthcare services during peak respiratory illness seasons.
As of mid-April, 149 people in Rio Grande do Sul have died from severe acute respiratory syndrome this year, 13 of them directly linked to influenza, according to state health data cited in one of the reports.
Vaccination remains available at all municipal health units during regular service hours, with extended evening access at 20 designated clinics across Porto Alegre, including locations such as the José Mauro Ceratti Lopes Family Clinic, Álvaro Difini Family Clinic, and IAPI Family Clinic, among others.
Why are vaccination rates so low among children in Porto Alegre?
The sources do not specify the exact reasons behind the low uptake, though they note that access has been expanded through extended clinic hours and that the vaccine is free and widely available.
What is the deadline for the flu vaccination campaign in Rio Grande do Sul?
The immunization campaign for priority groups continues until May 30, with the goal of achieving 90% coverage across all eligible populations.