In November, it will seek to recover HPV vaccination coverage

Perhaps now there are girls who we could not vaccinate at the time, but it can be done now, because nothing happens if it was not vaccinated at the time. It’s better now than ever.”

Dr. Rodrigo Romero Feregrino, spokesperson for the Mexican Association of Vaccinology.

According to the Health authorities, through the National Vaccination Campaign, from November 21 to December 31, all adolescents aged 13 and 14, and cis and trans women living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV ) will receive the vaccine that protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV). This single-dose vaccine aims to reach 2.5 million adolescents.

Despite the fact that in past years it was applied to girls of 9 and 10 years; this year the age range will be changed to try to recover population vaccination coverage. Regarding the case, Dr. Rodrigo Romero Feregrino, spokesman for the Mexican Association of Vaccinology, explains to El Economista that despite the fact that vaccination figures have been declining for many years, the pandemic accelerated the coverage problem, as is the case with the HPV vaccine; this is a problem in Mexico, but also throughout Latin America and other parts of the world.

The specialist reveals that the HPV vaccine can be applied from the age of 9 to men and women; however, in the national vaccination schedule, it is normally applied to girls in the fifth year of primary school or 11-year-olds who are not in school, since the fastest and easiest place to find this population is in schools. However, having to close schools due to the pandemic and people not wanting to go to health centers, plus isolation, brought a perfect storm for the decrease in vaccines.

“Today what we have to do is review our primers and comply with the schemes. “Perhaps now there are girls who we could not vaccinate at the time, but it can be done now, because nothing happens if it was not vaccinated at the time. It’s better now than ever.”

What is the human papilloma virus?

The human papilloma virus is the most common sexually transmitted infection and it is estimated that at least 50% of sexually active adults at some point in their lives will be infected with some serotype, “that is why it is so important that we vaccinate, men and women from the age of 9”. Dr. Romero assures that “as a man if I get vaccinated, I cannot get infected, I will not get sick and I will not transmit it, as a woman, I do not get infected, I do not get sick and I do not transmit it, by taking care of myself, I take care of others. others”.

a cancer vaccine

The specialist insists that when we have the opportunity to get the HPV vaccine, we do so.

This biological is practically a tool against a type of cancer, cervical, one of the leading causes of death in women.

“When we explain this to mothers, who are the ones who normally decide on this activity, talking about a vaccine against cancer is something wonderful. Today we can no longer have people who die from HPV, this is achieved with the prevention provided by the vaccine, which is the most important thing, then early detection and adequate treatment, “says the doctor.

HPV infection causes persistent infection of some serotypes, this causes the cells to transform and become cancerous, thus it begins to reproduce massively causing lesions in the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus or penis.

There are different types of papillomavirus, but they can be classified into two large groups, those that cause cancer and those that are less likely to cause cancer and that produce warts, warts, fisheye, or genital lesions. “These very rarely become malignant, but it is not good to have them there. Luckily, with the vaccine available today, the most common serotypes (6, 11, 16 and 18) that cause both situations are prevented.”

In Mexico, although there are some people with erroneous ideas about vaccination, people accept the protection that immunization gives, “it is not an alarming issue like in other parts of the world, here the job is to put all the information available to remove doubts genuine and make known the options to get closer to vaccination”, concludes Romero Feregrino.

nelly.toche@eleconomista.mx