DOH-7: House-to-house distribution of vaccine key in sustaining immunization program
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CEBU CITY, Philippines – Despite the threats of the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) will be pushing through with their vaccination program.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of DOH – 7, said they will be kicking off this October 28, 2020 the national government’s measles vaccination initiative for children.
However, since present protocols mandate minors below 21 years old to stay inside their homes, and parents’ fear to bring their children outside their houses, Loreche said they are eyeing to conduct the inoculation in a house-to-house arrangement.
“One of the most effective ways (right now) of conducting immunization is to go house-to-house. Because we understand the concern of parents who are afraid of bringing their kids to health centers for immunization,” said Loreche in a virtual press briefing last Monday, October 12.
Loreche said usually, the health department’s free vaccination program will require parents to bring their children to the nearest barangay health center to register.
“That one (house-to-house vaccination) should be part of the Department of Health, in terms of immunization program, should think about,” she added.
Quarantine restrictions brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has adversely affected other health services and programs of DOH, including vaccination for young children.
In Central Visayas, the regional health office here recorded to have immunized 47,317 children during this year’s first eight months. But it was a 13 percent drop in the figures they posted for the same period in 2019.
DOH-7 is targeting a total of 163,262 children to be inoculated for 2020.
Loreche said vaccination played an important role in an individual’s health, and that it could aid their immune system’s response in case they get infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
“Studies have proven that if you have full vaccination for other infectious diseases, and if you do get hit by the coronavirus, its impact on your body is not as worse as those compared who haven’t been inoculated from any of our infectious diseases,” she explained.
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