Starting Wednesday, June 24, Belo Horizonte begins offering the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to children up to age 5 at city health centers.
The new vaccine, called Pneumo 20, joins the updated national childhood immunization schedule set by the Ministry of Health. It broadens protection against infections from the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can cause conditions ranging from sinusitis and otitis to pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.
The shots are available at 154 health centers and the Traveler Health Care Service. Children must attend with parents or guardians and bring identification and their vaccination card.
The rollout of Pneumo 20 will be gradual while Pneumo 10 stocks remain. Both vaccines may be used according to the schedule for each child, with no need to restart prior doses. Vaccination history can be tracked through the Meu SUS Digital app.
