MANILA, Philippines — A government health expert has advised the public to take vaccines that prevent flu and pneumonia as possible protection from the effect of the novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD).
According to Dr. Edsel Salvana, director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology which is under the National Institutes of Health, most nCoV ARD patients also have preexisting flu.
“Magpabakuna kayo because it might save your life. Kahit wala pa tayong nCoV vaccine, meron naman tayong vaccine sa trangkaso, sa pneumonia dahil yung mga namatay sa nCoV… karamihan dun, 70 percent meron silang preexisting illness,” Salvana told reporters during Kapihan sa Manila Bay in Malate, Manila on Wednesday.
(Please have yourselves vaccinated because it might save your life. Even if we don’t have the vaccine for nCoV yet, we have vaccines for flu, pneumonia. Most of those who have died of nCoV have pre-existing illnesses.)
Meanwhile, Dr. Beaver Tamesis, head of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines, said those aged from 50 to 55 years old and have underlying illnesses should be vaccinated to prevent pneumonia.
“Anybody who is 50 to 55 years old basta may underlying disease basta may mahinang baga, chronic asthma or yung mga may diabetes na uncontrolled, best na magpabakuna na kayo against pneumonia that would protect or reduce the chances of infection,” Tamesis told reporters.
(Anybody who is 50 to 55 years old and has underlying disease especially those who have weakened lungs, chronic asthma or those who have uncontrolled diabetes, it is best for you to be vaccinated against pneumonia which would protect or reduce the chances of infection.)
Tamesis advised that vaccination to prevent pneumonia should be done every five years but patients must still consult their doctors on the appropriate vaccines for their illnesses.
For flu vaccines, Tamesis said it is best to take flu vaccines every year between the months of May and August.
Salvana said health experts and the government are now conducting studies to create a vaccine that will stop the spread of the new virus.
Records from the Department of Health showed that there are 105 persons under investigation (PUIs) for suspected 2019-nCoV ARD infection.
Salvana said PUIs are those who traveled from China and its Special Administrative Regions (SARS) in the last 14 days and those who have flu-like symptoms.
The PUIs are now isolated and are being treated in hospitals, Salvana said.
Meanwhile, Salvana said persons under monitoring (PUMs) are those who do not have symptoms but have traveled from China.
Salvana said authorities will place PUMs under quarantine.