LESS than 10 percent of targeted children were immunized against the usual top killer diseases, as some areas in the country are placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or general community quarantine (GCQ), according to an official of the Department of Health (DOH).
Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, however, gave assurances that the DOH is making sure that no children will miss out on vaccinations amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Less than 10 percent of targeted population [were covered by the vaccinations conducted by DOH],” Vergeire told BusinessMirror in a text reply to a query. The question was raised following warnings of some sectors that the focus on the raging Covid-19 pandemic might take away focus and resources from the national immunization campaign, which could create more problems.
In 2019, when polio clusters were detected in some parts of the country, reports said the vaccination rate against the debilitating disease that strikes mostly children had steadily slipped the past several years.
Infants and children less than five years old are covered by vaccinations to protect them from, among others, diphtheria, pertussis, tuberculosis, measles and polio.
Beyond the ballpark “less than 10 percent,” Vergeire, however, did not disclose the number of targeted children.
To increase immunization coverage, Vergeire said that the healthcare workers and barangay health workers are adopting different strategies to make sure that the vaccination will not be disrupted. One of the strategies, she said is going house-to-house.
Outbreak within an outbreak
Earlier, Vergeire stressed the importance of vaccination because the country cannot afford to have an outbreak within an outbreak.
“Vaccination is for all and works for all. According to the WHO [World Health Organization], vaccination saves millions of lives yearly. It is known as the most successful and cost-effective health intervention,” Vergeire said in a virtual press conference stressing that vaccination remains critical amid the pandemic.
In the Philippines, pneumonia remains to be the No. 1 killer disease among children five years old and below. There are two pneumonia vaccines in the market, PCV10 and PCV13.
In February 2019, the WHO affirmed this earlier position saying that the PCV10 and PCV13 are equally effective in preventing overall pneumococcal diseases in children. The position paper also states that there is at present insufficient evidence of a difference in the net impact of the two available PCVs on overall disease burden.
For her part, DOH Undersecretary for Public Health Services Dr. Myrna Cabotaje said even if the country is in the midst of a pandemic, it is important to avail of the catch-up vaccines for children to make sure they don’t fall ill and spread infection.
According to Cabotaje, the priority vaccines that are still critical despite the pandemic include BCG, hepatitis B, polio, diphtheria pertussis, tetanus, and measles, and pneumonia, among many others.
Meanwhile, the President of the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines also stressed the importance of vaccination, noting that the Covid-19 virus is “not relaxing.”
Dr. Anna Lisa Ong-Lim, who is also the Chief of the Infection and Tropical Disease department of the Philippine General Hospital, also reminded parents that children are not immune to Covid-19.
Dr. Ong-Lim said that even determining if a child has been infected is very challenging to parents and even doctors because its symptoms are just like normal flu.
“This disease is a treacherous one because its just like having an ordinary cough and flu or fever. If before we tend not to bother, now we have to be very careful with the health of our family members,” Dr. Ong-Lim said.
Dr. Ong-Lim said that parents should check if their sickness causes the appetite loss or if they are also weak.
“So, what I can remind our family, our parents is to check if the child is losing interest in eating, if [infants are] refusing to breastfeed or drink milk, always sleeping or weak. If we don’t see these signs then let us just monitor the child’s condition in the house for it would be more dangerous if we take them to the hospital right away,” she said, adding that the child might catch the virus in a hospital.
For expecting mothers, Dr. Ong-Lim noted that, based on published literature, there is no evidence yet that shows that an infected pregnant woman can pass the disease to her child, or what is known as vertical transmission.
Additionally, she explained that there is no evidence yet of transmission through breastfeeding.
Nevertheless, close contact with the child still makes them susceptible to transmitting the disease.
According to Dr. Ong-Lim, should the mother show symptoms of any kind, it is imperative that they follow health guidelines to keep their child safe. “Let us just be careful with our oral secretions. Mothers should cover their nose, and mouth always,” she stressed.
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