DOH CONDUCTS HOUSE-TO-HOUSE PATAK POLIO IN CALABARZON

THE Department of Health (DOH) – CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) started conducting an intensive house-to-house polio vaccination for children below 5 years old in the province of Laguna which started on August 3, 2020 up to August 17, 2020.

“Kailangan nating tutukan ang pagbabakuna upang lahat ng mga bata ay mabigyan at maprotektahan laban sa polio. Ito ay maiiwasan sa tamang pagbibigay ng bakuna sa mga batang limang taong gulang pababa upang hindi sila tamaan ng polio na maari nilang ikamatay,” Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo stated.

“Nakabuti din ang pagbabalik natin sa MECQ dahil lahat ng mga bata at magulang ay nasa kanilang mga bahay. Dahil dito mas mapapadali ang paghahanap sa kanila at pagbibigay ng bakuna ng ating grupo ng mga “Bakuna Doors” sa mga bata,” he added.

The regional office has hired additional manpower to serve as “Bakuna Doors” and administer the polio vaccine. “We preferred to conduct a house-to-house campaign and discourage having vaccination posts to avoid crowding of people and for them to be protected and not be affected by the current wave of COVID-19 pandemic.”

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease. It can easily spread and becomes an epidemic if not given the proper treatment.

On September 20, 2019, a 5-year-old child was identified to have acquired the polio virus in Laguna following the country’s polio free status for 19 years.

As a response, 2 rounds of synchronized polio immunization for 0-59 months old children will be conducted by DOH to protect vulnerable children from the consequence of polio recirculation.

As of August 12, 2020, the total number of children vaccinated in Laguna is 201,646 out of the total target population of 306,670 children. The top three municipalities with the highest percentage of accomplishment are Calauan followed by Lumban and the City of Binan.

Janairo added that parents need not worry because the health workers who will administer the vaccine will be following COVID-19 health protocols and will wear complete protective gears and will avoid close contact with children to prevent the spread of any virus.

“We have to see to it that all target children will be vaccinated because we cannot afford another outbreak during a pandemic. Hindi na kakayanin pa ng ating health system dahil ngayon pa lang ay exhausted na ang ating mga health workers sa pagaasikaso sa ating dumaraming COVID patients,” he emphasized.

“Kaya nakikiusap kami sa mga magulang na pabakunahan ang kanilang mga anak kontra polio dahil ito lang ang natatanging proteksyon nila laban sa sakit. Ito ay ligtas at epektibo. Sa mga hindi pa nabigyan ng bakuna ay maari ninyo itong ipaalam sa inyong mga barangay health workers upang kayo ay mapuntahan at hindi na kayo lumabas pa ng inyong mga bahay,” Janairo urged parents.

The schedule for the first round of phased vaccination for the monovalent type 2 oral polio vaccine (mOPV2) in CALABARZON are as follows: Phase 1 August 3-16, 2020 – Laguna, Phase 2 August 17-30, 2020 – Cavite and Rizal and for the second round from September 7-20, 2020 – Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.