Flu cases increase: Cebu City health urged to conduct vaccination drive
CEBU CITY, Philippines –The Cebu City Council approved on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, a proposed resolution penned by Councilor Rey Gealon urging the Cebu City health department to conduct a flu vaccination drive.
This is after the Department of Health (DOH) reported a rise in Influenza-like cases in the country. The DOH says the number of cases is 45-percent higher than those registered at the same time in 2022.
According to Gealon, the flu vaccine is important as it is “a guaranteed protective measure” against flu, so people can develop antibodies.
“It takes a community to be able to combat flu, knowing that it spreads rapidly within the community,” Gealon stated during an interview with CDN Digital.
Gealon mentioned that the vaccination drive will commence in early November, right after Undas or Kalag-Kalag, allowing those still occupied with election-related matters to have adequate time for their vaccinations.
“We are anticipating that many of our constituents catch flu or flu-like symptoms in the cold months leading to Christmas,” Gealon said.
Gealon: Vigilance required
Gealon urged people of all ages to take the proactive step of getting vaccinated to ensure their safety and well-being.
“Vigilance is required between and among ourselves to encourage each and everyone to have themselves vaccinated [against flu],” the city councilor said.
The flu vaccination campaign will roll out across every barangay in Cebu City in November.
In the recent statement released by DOH, there are a total of 151,375 cases registered as of October 13, 2023, which was more than compared to the 104,613 cases in 2022.
The health department noted that influenza like infections in the past month have been climbing, attributing the case trend to the transitioning weather conditions—“from increased heat and high humidity in the summer to wet and damp weather conditions.”
Moreover, DOH has emphasized that an increase in communicable disease infections is expected during the colder months “due to the proliferation of viruses.”
The World Health Organization defines influenza like infections as an acute respiratory infection with a measured fever of 38 degrees Celsius and above, accompanied by a cough for around 10 days.
These statistics have raised a red flag in the city council, which prompted Gealon to propose a resolution to address the said matter.
/bmjo
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