Covid-19: São Paulo announces vaccination for pregnant women and disabled people

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Pregnant and postpartum women, disabled people, and people with comorbidities will be vaccinated against Covid-19 as of next week in São Paulo. The announcement was made May 5 by the São Paulo state government.

The vaccination of pregnant and puerperal women with comorbidities above 18 will start on May 11. The São Paulo state government estimates that there are 100,000 women in this group.

Pregnant women with comorbidities may be immunized at any gestational stage. However, puerperal (postpartum) women will be vaccinated up to 45 days after giving birth.

To be vaccinated, pregnant and puerperal women will need to prove their pregnancy stage, by presenting their medical records, prenatal care, or a medical report, in addition to the child’s birth certificate, in the case of puerperal women.

Proof of risk condition will also be required using exams, prescriptions, medical reports, or a doctor’s prescription.

On the same day, May 11th, people with permanent disabilities aged between 55 and 59 and who receive the continuous social assistance benefit (BPC) will begin vaccination. This group includes some 30,000 people, and they will be required to prove receipt of the benefit.

On May 12th, people aged 55 to 59 who have one or more comorbidities defined by the Ministry of Health (see the list below) will begin to be immunized.

To be vaccinated, these people need to prove their risk condition by producing exams needed for employment, medical reports, or medical prescriptions. The existing registers in the Basic Health Units (UPA) may be used as proof. The São Paulo government expects to vaccinate 900,000 people in this age group.

On May 6th, vaccination of seniors aged 60, 61, and 62 will begin throughout the state. On Monday, May 10th, people with Down’s syndrome, patients undergoing dialysis treatment, and transplant patients using immunosuppressants will be immunized.

The list of comorbidities as defined by the Ministry of Health:

– Cardiovascular Diseases
– Heart Failure
– Cor-pulmonale (alteration in the right ventricle) and Pulmonary hypertension
– Hypertensive heart disease
– Coronary syndromes
– Valvopathies
– Myocardiopathies and Pericardiopathies
– Aortic and Great Vessels Disease and Arteriovenous Fistulas
– Cardiac Arrhythmias
– Congenital heart diseases in adults
– Prosthetic valves and implanted cardiac devices
– Diabetes mellitus
– Severe chronic lung diseases
– Resistant arterial hypertension

– Hypertension – stage 3
– Hypertension – stages 1 and 2 with target organ damage and/or comorbidity
– Cerebrovascular Disease
– Chronic renal disease
– Immunosuppressed (transplanted; people living with HIV; rheumatic diseases on corticosteroids; people with cancer)
– Sickle cell anemia and thalassemia major (severe hemoglobinopathies)
– Morbid obesity
– Liver cirrhosis