Kids infected with COVID-19 get free meds in Pampanga

Children who showed symptoms of COVID-19 and are tested positive for it get free medicines and vitamins to treat them while on home isolation with their family for 10 days. (Photo from the Facebook page of Gov. Dennis Pineda)

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga––Gov. Dennis Pineda has expanded the distribution of free medicines and vitamins to children who tested positive for COVID-19 and showed symptoms of it.

Village chiefs and district hospitals began dispensing the “Gamot sa Barangay” to children between 2 to 12 years old, whose infection was confirmed by antigen or reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test.

COVID-19-infected infants and toddlers below 2 years old are assessed and weighed in district hospitals to determine how many and how often they should take the medicines and vitamins.

In a Facebook livestream on Jan. 20, Pineda said COVID-19 had infected 5,393 residents from Jan. 1 to 19.

At an average of fewer than 400 cases daily, Pineda said the situation was similar to the surge from July to August in 2021.

The governor said “many children” have survived COVID-19 after experiencing mild symptoms.

Pineda said no minors have died from COVID-19, and the virus claimed the lives of 2,799 adults as of Jan. 19.

As prescribed by volunteer pediatrician Dr. Paul Baltazar, the packs for children contain syrup forms of Lagundi, Vitamin C with Zinc, Nasatapp, and paracetamol, including oresol, to replace water loss. Each pack comes with an instruction sheet.

The packs for the 13 years old and above contain Vitamin C with Zinc tablets, hexetidine or antiseptic for gargling, and cetirizine tablets to ease itchy throat and nose, as prescribed by local pulmunologist Dr. Isser Sugay.

Capitol workers have prepared 30,000 packs, with 6,357 for children and 5,386 for the second group.

“The stocks will be replenished from time to time. Local officials have been encouraged to replicate the program so that more sick residents are reached. The barangays will receive their share based on the size of the population,” Pineda said.

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