PAHO Director warns immunization must continue amid COVID-19 pandemic

The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Carissa Etienne is calling for continued immunization to avoid risk of other outbreaks during COVID-19 pandemic.

“If we fall behind on routine immunizations, particularly for children, we risk outbreaks, thus overwhelming hospitals and clinics with preventable diseases in addition to COVID-19,” said Dr Etienne.

In a press briefing updating the situation yesterday, Dr Etienne said: “until a vaccine for COVID19 is available, immunizations can and must be delivered by the health services alongside the response” to the pandemic.” If countries fail to do this, “the impact on our health systems would take months or even years to reverse, she added.