More than 3 million Brazilian adolescents have yet to receive the second dose of the dengue vaccine, as officials race to strengthen protection before seasonal transmission rises.
More than 3 million Brazilian adolescents who received a first dose of the dengue vaccine have not yet returned to health centres for the second injection needed to complete the schedule, according to figures presented by Eder Gatti, the director of the National Immunisation Programme, at the 28th National Journey of the Brazilian Society of Immunisations in Rio de Janeiro. The vaccine is given in two doses, and full protection comes only after the second shot, which should be administered three months after the first.
Gatti said the country has already administered more than 11.8 million doses in total, with 7.6 million used for first doses and 4.2 million for second doses. He also said nearly 4 million doses sent to municipalities have still not been used. Health officials are trying to increase coverage before the summer, when dengue transmission typically rises.
The vaccination effort began in the municipalities most affected by dengue and has since expanded across Brazil. The target group is children and adolescents aged 10 to 14, a segment Gatti described as difficult to mobilise because young people often do not feel personally at risk. He said the best time to vaccinate is during the lower-transmission period, so that protection is in place before the peak season.
Gatti also said the supply of Qdenga, the vaccine made by Japan’s Takeda, is sufficient for the priority group even though production is not enough to cover the whole Brazilian population. He said Brazil has contracts for 9 million doses this year and another 9 million in 2027. He added that the Butantan vaccine remains suspended after three cases of severe dengue, including two deaths, were recorded after vaccination among more than 500,000 people immunised. The ministry has not said the vaccine caused the illness, but it treated the timing as a possible safety signal and halted its use in June while further studies are carried out. Gatti said the Butantan shot remains a major hope for the country, but any wider rollout will depend on closing the remaining safety gaps.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
