Authorities of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) acknowledged that in the last two weeks there has been an 11.3% decrease in COVID-19 cases in Mexico; however, they reported that mortality from the disease increased 8.6%.
Given this, Enrique Pérez-Gutiérrez, PAHO’s Chief of Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment, considered that it is important to rectify the interpretation of the Epidemiological Traffic Light to the population, by explaining the usefulness of the indicators and communicating with specific messages the sanitary measures to be followed in each of the colors.
“We consider it important to keep risk communication to the population constant and up-to-date to promote the application of preventive measures.”
See also: Increase in COVID cases in Mexico is the result of the relaxation of measures and the delta variant: PAHO
Regarding the return to face-to-face classes, Pérez-Gutiérrez recognized that schools are essential for the health, safety, well-being of children and adolescents.
Education is also key to reducing poverty, promoting gender equality and safeguarding sustainable development.
Therefore, he recommended on behalf of PAHO that the opening of schools be done in stages, taking into account the local epidemiological situation, which may change suddenly.
Enrique Pérez-Gutiérrez stressed that preventive measures must be complied with, such as distancing, the use of a mask and ventilation in enclosed spaces.
PAHO calls for more vaccine donations
At the weekly press conference, Dr. Carissa Etienne, director of PAHO, said that in North America hospitalizations among young people and adults under 50 have increased sharply.
This means that the highest level has been reached in relation to what has been seen so far in the pandemic.
“The Americas remain disproportionately affected in this pandemic, we have 4 of the top 10 countries with the highest cumulative number of cases and virtually one-third of all COVID deaths have been reported in this region.”
Read more: COVID syndrome in children can be serious or deadly, PAHO warns
Etienne noted that three-quarters of the countries in the Americas have not received full vaccination and that countries with high vaccination coverage “are the exception.”
That is why an additional 540 million doses must be administered to ensure that all countries in this region can cover at least 60% of their population.
Thus, the PAHO director established three priorities to move forward with the vaccination strategy in the Americas.
In addition: WHO analyzes new variant of COVID called ‘mu’; may be more resistant to vaccines
The first is the increase in vaccine donations; urge countries around the world that have excess doses to share them with the region.
“We need public health and not politics to determine our response to the pandemic,” Etienne said as a second recommendation, and asked “to respect the science.”
And as a last priority, he said that countries need to vaccinate as soon as they receive the vaccines, since as they receive more doses and larger shipments, they must ensure that logistics systems guarantee these doses.
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