Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 55 views

    Polio Vaccine Is Very Safe,' DOH Reminds Public Amid Epidemic

    Uploaded by

    Elaizel Alamag
    The Philippine Department of Health reiterated that the polio vaccine is very safe and effective, amid a polio outbreak in the country. The Health Secretary pleaded with the public to ensure children are vaccinated and practice good hygiene. Vaccine hesitancy had increased after a dengue vaccine controversy, lowering vaccination rates. The DOH declared a polio epidemic after finding a confirmed case in Lanao del Sur, and launched vaccination campaigns focused on high risk areas.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Polio Vaccine Is Very Safe,' DOH Reminds Public Amid Epidemic

    Uploaded by

    Elaizel Alamag
    55 views2 pages
    The Philippine Department of Health reiterated that the polio vaccine is very safe and effective, amid a polio outbreak in the country. The Health Secretary pleaded with the public to ensure children are vaccinated and practice good hygiene. Vaccine hesitancy had increased after a dengue vaccine controversy, lowering vaccination rates. The DOH declared a polio epidemic after finding a confirmed case in Lanao del Sur, and launched vaccination campaigns focused on high risk areas.

    Original Description:

    news about polio

    Original Title

    Polio

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    The Philippine Department of Health reiterated that the polio vaccine is very safe and effective, amid a polio outbreak in the country. The Health Secretary pleaded with the public to ensure children are vaccinated and practice good hygiene. Vaccine hesitancy had increased after a dengue vaccine controversy, lowering vaccination rates. The DOH declared a polio epidemic after finding a confirmed case in Lanao del Sur, and launched vaccination campaigns focused on high risk areas.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    55 views2 pages

    Polio Vaccine Is Very Safe,' DOH Reminds Public Amid Epidemic

    Uploaded by

    Elaizel Alamag
    The Philippine Department of Health reiterated that the polio vaccine is very safe and effective, amid a polio outbreak in the country. The Health Secretary pleaded with the public to ensure children are vaccinated and practice good hygiene. Vaccine hesitancy had increased after a dengue vaccine controversy, lowering vaccination rates. The DOH declared a polio epidemic after finding a confirmed case in Lanao del Sur, and launched vaccination campaigns focused on high risk areas.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    Polio vaccine is very safe,' DOH reminds public amid

    epidemic
    'Please, I beg of you, for the sake of our children...make sure they have proper hygiene
    and they get vaccinated,' Health Secretary Francisco Duque III appeals to the public as
    polio cases reemerge in the Philippines after 19 years

    Janella Paris
    Published 1:55 PM, September 20, 2019

    Updated 2:45 PM, September 20, 2019

    MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, September 20,


    reiterated the efficacy of the polio vaccine as it renewed its call for children to be
    vaccinated against the disease which has reemerged in the country after 19 years.

    “The polio vaccine is very safe. We have nothing to worry about because the polio
    vaccine has been used for a long time, and it has gone through tests that prove its
    safety, efficacy, and affordability,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a press
    conference on Friday.

    Duque admitted that the DOH continued to reel from vaccine hesitancy caused by the
    anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia controversy in late 2017. (READ: A year after
    Dengvaxia: Immunization drops, measles outbreaks soar)

    "Please, I beg of you, for the sake of our children, take care of them. Make sure they
    have proper hygiene and they get vaccinated,” Duque said.

    Duque said that following the Dengvaxia scare, "vaccine confidence dropped and
    vaccine hesitancy rose to a record all-time high." Citing a 2018 study by the London
    School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, he said vaccine confidence in the Philippines
    plunged to 32% in 2018 from a high of 93% in 2015.

    The average national polio vaccination coverage stands at about 66% to 68%. The
    target for herd immunity is 95%. Duque said there are about 5.5 million children to
    vaccinate.

    The DOH declared a polio epidemic or outbreak on Thursday, September 19, after it
    found one confirmed case of the disease in Lanao del Sur. The 3-year-old girl afflicted
    with polio now has residual paralysis due.

    Environmental samples that tested positive for the vaccine-derived poliovirus were also
    found in Manila and Davao. (EXPLAINER: What is polio?)
    The DOH and the World Health Organization (WHO) have since emphasized that
    vaccination is the only cure for the disease.

    In August, the DOH kicked off its polio vaccination campaign against polio in Manila.
    Duque said the positive sample was found in Tondo, the largest district in Manila in
    terms of area and population.

    The polio vaccination campaign will be focused on the National Capital Region, Davao
    and Lanao del Sur in October, while the campaign in Central Luzon and Calabarzon
    would also begin in October.

    DOH also launched the “End Polio Now” campaign on Friday, upon the signing of a
    memorandum of understanding with Rotary Philippines.

    The organization, whose international counterpart has been conducting anti-polio


    initiatives for 30 years, said it would provide volunteers in local communities to amplify
    the grassroots response to polio. Ten Rotary districts throughout the country vowed to
    join the initiative.

    Duque also said that the health department had enough supply for the first two rounds
    of polio immunization. He said that they were only waiting for confirmation that there
    would be enough supply for the nationwide rollout of the vaccination campaign, which is
    set to start early next year.

    The DOH also urged local governments to intensify their Zero Open Defecation
    programand called for proper sanitation practices, like regularly washing one's
    hands. – Rappler.com

    You might also like