DoH sets mass immunization in Region 4-A
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sat, 09 Feb 2019 09:01:43 +0000
The Department of Health said that it will immediately conduct mass immunization against measles to all children in Region 4-A or the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon area.
Priority is those aged six- to 59-months old.
“Due to the continuously increasing number of measles-rubella cases, we must immediately provide immunization to all children regardless of their vaccination status, whether they have received the vaccine or not, everyone must be immunized,” said DoH Region 4-A Director Dr. Eduardo Janairo.
“We will include children ages five-years-old and above to ensure that everyone will be protected and further prevent the spread of measles to the population,” he added.
The DoH central office in Manila recently declared a measles outbreak in Region 4-A and four other regions.
In Region 4-A, the province with the highest number of measles cases is Rizal with 226, followed by Laguna with 115; Batangas, 114; Cavite, 87; and Quezon, 18, the regional office said.
Janairo said that the mass immunization activity will include house-to-house visits, reading of message advisory during church services, and setting up of injection posts in certain public areas.
“Measles is a highly contagious virus and easily spread to others through coughing and sneezing… There is no cure for measles but it can be prevented through proper immunization of children aged six months to 59-months-old,” he said.
“I appeal to all parents to have their children vaccinated against measles. It is their only protection against the virus and it is clinically safe and proven effective for many years,” he added. (Analou de Vera)