P.Rico announces vaccination campaign against influenza after Maria’s step

The Department of Health of Puerto Rico reported today that next Tuesday will start with a tour of vaccination clinics in different municipalities of the island, with the purpose of preventing diseases, specifically influenza.

The Secretary of Health, Rafael Rodríguez Mercado, said today in a press release that after the passage of Hurricane Maria on September 20 the supply of vaccines to the island was temporarily affected, causing delays in vaccination activities against influenza .

Faced with this situation, the Department of Health submitted a proposal to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English) requiring the necessary vaccines to vaccinate the population and prevent an epidemic of influenza.

“Now more than ever, it is important to ensure that the entire population is protected through immunization, taking into account that we are at the beginning of the influenza season,” Rodríguez said.

The head of Health highlighted the vaccinations “to reduce the chances of outbreaks of preventable diseases to occur in the circumstances that we are facing on a day to day basis.”

The vaccinations will begin next Tuesday in the municipalities of Guayama and Comerío from 08.00 to 15.00 local time.

In Guayama they will take place at the Salvation Army facilities, while in Comerío, they will be at the Antolín Santos Negrón Vocational School.

Vaccinations will continue on Thursday, at Pedro Montañez Stadium in Cayey, and in Lares, although it is unknown where it will be.

Salud will continue with the vaccines next Saturday at the Mameyes Arriba de Utuado Community Center and on the 14th at the Salvador Dijols de Ponce court and at the Plaza Pública de Bayamón.

Vaccinations will culminate on the 16th in the islands-municipality of Vieques and Culebra, as well as Toa Baja (north) and the Plaza Pública de Fajardo (east).

The tour will include the integration of the mobile unit of the VOCES coalition, which joins the Department of Health with its “VOCES on wheels” initiative to jointly improve coverage of the entire island in the shortest possible time, under the circumstances.