Measles vaccination drive set

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday called on parents to have their children vaccinated against measles as it warned of a possible outbreak of the potentially deadly disease in 2021.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the number of children susceptible to measles had risen this year amid the pandemic.

Some 2.4 million children in the country are vulnerable to measles, Vergeire said.

The country’s immunization accomplishment so far has been less than 50 percent, which is why the DOH would be conducting a supplemental immunization drive this month, she said.

According to her, many parents have been unable to bring their children to health centers to get vaccines amid the pandemic. Other parents just refuse to have their children vaccinated, she said.