By Manny Balbin/PNA
CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan — The provincial government here has intensified its measles vaccination activities, prompted by the increase in the number of measles cases in the province.
Acting Governor Daniel R. Fernando, in a meeting Thursday with some local officials, said he ordered the concerned health providers to make sure that all babies aged 9 and 12 months old will be vaccinated against the viral illness.
Fernando also appealed to parents to avail of the free immunization and service for infants and children aged 6 to 59 months in their nearest health centers.
“Bagama’t mayroon pa ring agam-agam ang ating mga kababayan pagdating sa bakuna, ito pa rin ang pinakamabisang paraan upang tuluyang mapababa ang kaso ng tigdas. Ang bakuna kontra tigdas ay lubos nang napatunayang ligtas at ito ay pandaigdigang pamamaraan upang ang sakit na ito ay hindi na makahawa at kumalat pa sa komunidad (Although our countrymen still have anxiety about the vaccine, it is still the most effective way to reduce the measles case. The measles vaccine has been proven to be safe and it is a global approach so that this disease can no longer infect and spread to the community),” the acting governor said.
Dr. Jocelyn Gomez, head of Provincial Health Office, said that they also distributed advisories and fliers to disseminate information about measles including its symptoms, complications, transmission and prevention.
Data from the Department of Health’s (DOH) Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU), showed there were 31 measles cases in Bulacan from January to October this year compared to only three cases during the same period in 2017.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is spread in the air through coughing and sneezing. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, sore throat followed by a rash that spreads over the body.
