Public Health Promotes Anti-COVID Vaccination Amid Viral Co-circulation Alert

Paraguay's Ministry of Public Health has launched its winter vaccination campaign, urging citizens to get immunized against COVID-19 with the updated Spikevax LP.8.1 formula. This initiative comes as the country experiences intense simultaneous circulation of various respiratory viruses, including Influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Rhinovirus, which have already caused 144 deaths in 2026.

The campaign aims to bolster public health defenses during the colder months. Paraguay has received an initial batch of 57,000 doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccine, complementing existing immunizations against influenza and RSV. The Expanded Program on Immunization (PAI) stated that the available vaccine is a monovalent mRNA formulation from Moderna, updated and recommended for active immunization against SARS-CoV-2.

Distribution strategies adhere strictly to guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAS), prioritizing individuals at higher risk of severe complications, hospitalization, or death. Luis Cousirat, director of the PAI, emphasized that vaccination remains the most effective and safe tool for public health protection.

The vaccination schedule is tailored to different risk profiles. High-risk groups, including individuals aged 60 and over and those with underlying health conditions, will receive one dose. Medium-risk groups, such as children aged 6 months to 4 years with comorbidities, and children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 with comorbidities, along with healthy adults, will also receive one dose. Special populations, including healthcare workers and pregnant women (who receive one dose per pregnancy after 20 weeks), are also included in the prioritized groups.

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Vaccination continues to be the most effective and safe tool to safeguard public health during the low-temperature months.