DOH reminds parents to have school kids vaccinated for measles

The government has been conducting vaccination programs around the country to fight measles as cases continue to rise. EARVIN PERIAS

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) reiterated its appeal to parents or guardians of preschool and grade school pupils to have the children vaccinated before school comes to a close.

“We continue to appeal to mothers and caregivers of children in Kinder to Grade 6 to have them vaccinated against measles, a tried and tested vaccine. Let us give our children a fighting chance to have a bright future,” DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said in a statement on Thursday.

This as the DOH intensifies its measles vaccination activities in anticipation of warmer months when measles take an uptrend.

“We are targeting to vaccinate our schoolchildren at this time before school closes on April 5, since we are almost finished vaccinating in our health centers,” Duque said.

“So far, our immunization accomplishment may be attributed to the zealousness of the health workers in trying to stem the upsurge in measles cases,” he added.

The DOH said that the school-based immunization would be selective, meaning children who already received two doses of the Measles Containing Vaccine (MCV) would not be given any more.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus which can be transferred from person-to-person by sneezing, coughing, and close personal contact, the DOH noted.

“Its signs and symptoms include cough, runny nose, red eyes [or] conjunctivitis, fever, skin rashes lasting for more than 3 days,” it added.

Complications due to measles include diarrhea, encephalitis or swelling of the brain, and pneumonia or infection of the lungs which may lead to death.

In its latest report last March 8, the DOH’s Epidemiology Bureau recorded 18,553 measles cases and 286 fatalities from January 1 to March 7. /cbb

READ: DOH notes 18,553 measles cases; 286 related deaths