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Health Minister urges strengthening child flu vaccinations, warns on measles for World Cup travelers
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Health & Science

Health Minister urges strengthening child flu vaccinations, warns on measles for World Cup travelers

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Uruguay's Public Health Minister Cristina Lustemberg expressed shame over the low flu vaccination rate among children aged six months to five years, with only 14% coverage.
  • To address this, Lustemberg announced a decree that will allow a wider range of healthcare professionals, including nurses and pediatricians, to administer flu vaccines.
  • The minister also urged travelers to the World Cup to be vaccinated against measles, warning of high contagion risks and advising immediate isolation and medical attention for those with symptoms upon return.

Cristina Lustemberg, Uruguay's Minister of Public Health, voiced deep concern and embarrassment over the alarmingly low rate of flu vaccinations among young children. She highlighted that only 14% of children between six months and five years old, a priority group, have received their flu shots so far in the 2026 campaign. "I am ashamed as a pediatrician," Lustemberg stated, emphasizing the need for urgent action to improve these figures. She spoke at an event presenting refurbished pediatric wards at the Hospital Pereira Rossell, addressing an audience of academics and medical professionals.

I am ashamed as a pediatrician.

— Cristina LustembergMinister Lustemberg expressed her dismay at the low flu vaccination rate among children.

"Children, we need to get moving," Lustemberg urged, adding, "That we have this vaccination rate in our children means that there is something we are not doing correctly." In response, she announced plans to sign a decree that will expand the authority to administer flu vaccines. This measure, met with applause, aims to allow licensed nurses, pediatricians, and other qualified professionals to administer the vaccines, provided they maintain the cold chain integrity of the doses. The goal is to make vaccination more accessible and efficient for this vulnerable age group.

Children, we need to get moving.

— Cristina LustembergThe minister urged for greater efforts to increase childhood vaccination rates.

Beyond the flu campaign, Minister Lustemberg also issued a strong recommendation for individuals traveling to the upcoming World Cup in Mexico, the United States, and Canada to ensure they are vaccinated against measles. She stressed that people born after 1967 should have received two doses of the measles vaccine, which is available free of charge at any vaccination center. "The risk of introducing measles, which is a highly contagious and very dangerous disease for children, is very high," she warned. Lustemberg advised that upon returning from the World Cup, anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, skin rash, severe cold, or conjunctivitis should immediately self-isolate, wear a mask during travel, and seek prompt medical attention.

That we have this vaccination rate in our children means that there is something we are not doing.

— Cristina LustembergLustemberg reflected on the shortcomings in the current vaccination campaign.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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