Measles curve finally flattens
Official figures show a steady decline after the peak in mid-February. From the 1,188 weekly cases at the height of the crisis, there were only 219 new infections reported in the last week.
The Ministry of Health confirms the downward trend. But, of course, always with that cautious language that I love so much.
Vaccines for millions and a triumphalist speech
Undersecretary Eduardo Clark shows his chest with the numbers: 17.2 million vaccines administered in less than two months. And they promise another 10 million more soon. Two million last week alone.
“If there had not been vaccination in Mexico, then measles, which is so contagious, we would have had thousands and thousands of cases very quickly,”
That is what President Claudia Sheinbaum said. He celebrates progress, and he is fundamentally right. Mass immunization works. It is the only thing that has consistently worked against these outbreaks.
But here comes my institutional cynic side. Do you remember when this started? And why did we reach such a high peak? Those questions often get buried under ‘success’ statements.
The current speed of contagion is around 100 cases per day. Less than half than in February, but it is not zero. The virus continues to circulate.
The final message is the classic: ‘Let’s not let our guard down’. Always the same. First they underestimate, then they react late, then they deploy resources in a big way and finally they ask for citizen prudence.
Meanwhile, I am still here, with my historical memory intact, waiting for the next official report. And remembering that behind every figure there is a person.
