Argentina and Peru see low child vaccination rates amid winter respiratory illness surge

In Argentina, Dr. Adela Saade, interim director of the Eloísa Torrent de Vidal maternal‑neonatal hospital, said severe bronchiolitis cases rise each winter and urged parents to complete flu vaccinations for children under two, especially those with existing respiratory problems. She highlighted that poorly ventilated classrooms aid virus spread and that many children require hospital admission for complications such as pneumonia.

In Peru, the Regional Health Directorate reported that only 30‑35 % of children had received scheduled vaccines by May, leaving them vulnerable to influenza and pneumonia. Officials emphasized annual flu shots, pneumococcal vaccination, proper clothing, hand‑washing and avoiding crowded, unventilated spaces, noting that vaccine side‑effects are usually mild.