CALOOCAN CITY, Feb. 7 (PIA) -- The government was able to immunize at least 30 percent of children in Metro Manila amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an official said on Friday.
During the Laging Handa public briefing hosted by the Presidential Communications Operations Office, Department of Health Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH MMCHD) Regional Director Dr. Corazon Flores said they were able to vaccinate 30 percent of children in Metro Manila with the help of the local government units since the launch of the program, last January 29, to protect the population from measles, rubella, and polio diseases.
“The measles, rubella, and polio diseases mostly hit children, but in some cases, even adults,” Flores said.
“Vaccination posts in Metro Manila can be found in health centers while temporary ones are located in schools, basketball courts, or in any other spacious areas,” she added, explaining that measles, because it is caused by the measles virus is very contagious and may even cause death.
“Iyon pong measles, ito po’y dahil po sa sakit na dulot ng measles virus at ito po ay nakakahawa, mabilis kumalat at maaari pong ikamatay,” Flores said.
During the same interview, the Metro Manila health chief also urged parents to have their children immunized.
“We are encouraging parents to bring their children nine to 59 months old to the nearest immunization post to receive measles, rubella, and polio supplemental vaccines,” Flores said, assuring that the vaccines are safe.
“Sa atin pong mga nanay, kalusugan po at kaligtasan ng ating mga anak ay atin pong pangalagaan. Ang atin pong bakuna ay ligtas, libre, matagal na po nating ginagamit ito,” she added.
Flores said the massive vaccination campaign against measles and rubella started on February 1 and will continue until February 28.
To recall, last year, the cases of measles in the country decreased to 201 as compared to the cases in 2019 with 8,550 when a measles outbreak was declared, she added.
She said the massive immunization campaign is being carried out in Metro Manila to prevent an outbreak.
According to the DOH, an estimated 2.4 million children under the age of five who are considered susceptible to measles.
Measles or ‘tigdas’ is one of the most contagious diseases in the world in which about 9 out of 10 people exposed to the measles virus and not immune are likely to contract the disease.
A child may experience high-grade fever, rashes, cough, an eye infection that can lead to complications such as pneumonia, ear infection, blindness, severe diarrhea, and swelling of the brain.
On the other hand, “polio is a potentially debilitating disease that causes fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness and can eventually lead to life-long paralysis”.
The DOH said if severe enough, both measles and polio diseases can ultimately lead to death.
There is no specific treatment for these illnesses and that the only reliable protection is through vaccination, the DOH said. (PIA NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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