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2h ago

Brazil Begins SUS Rollout of RSV Vaccine for Pregnant Women

The campaign seeks to protect newborns via maternal immunization after a first federal shipment of 673,000 doses.

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Overview

  • States received the initial lot with allocations such as Minas Gerais (~62,000, including ~6,000 for Belo Horizonte), Goiás (24,530), Bahia (44,525, including 3,000 for Salvador), Fortaleza (7,000) and Acre (3,800).
  • Public clinics started vaccinations on December 5 in Belo Horizonte, Salvador and cities in Goiás, with Acre offering statewide access, while Fortaleza opens citywide on December 8.
  • Eligibility begins at 28 weeks of gestation with a single dose given each pregnancy, and clinics request prenatal documentation and photo ID.
  • The vaccine, previously private-only at up to R$1,500 per dose, is now free on SUS, with reported 81.8% efficacy against severe infant RSV in the first 90 days of life.
  • A technology-transfer agreement will enable Instituto Butantan to produce the vaccine domestically, supporting an 80% coverage goal as RSV drives large numbers of pediatric hospitalizations.