Talisay suggests to monitor children who got vaccine

CEBU, Philippines — Talisay City Health Head Lino Alanzado advised parents to monitor the children who received the vaccine Dengvaxia and immediately seek the assistance of doctors if their kids show signs of dengue.

This, after a recent study revealed that children who had not been infected with dengue but received Dengvaxia would be at higher risk of getting afflicted with the disease and get complications.

"Kung mahilantan, dili mokumpyansa, diretso dayon duol ug doctor," he said.

He clarified, however, that the manufacturer of the vaccine Sanofi still has to expound what they meant by children who never had dengue before but were vaccinated would be at risk of getting “severe dengue case.”

Alanzado said it would be better if the result of the study was released before they have given the first dosage to some children of the city.

The city has administered the vaccination of about 5000 children aged 9 to 14 last August.  These children are expected to receive the second dose of the vaccine by February.

“Karon late kaayo gipagawas nga nakahatag na nuon ug first dose. Ang kabalaka ug ikaw ginikanan mag huna-huna nganong nahatagn man to nga wala pa man kaha ang final nga result,” he said.

Dengvaxia comes with three dosages that would be given every six months.

Alanzado cannot determine the number of beneficiaries who has pre-exposure of dengue virus.

But he said that considering that Talisay has high dengue cases, there is a possibility that most of those 5000 children were previously infected of the dengue virus.

He added that there were also cases that a child was bitten by dengue carrying mosquito but did not show any signs of dengue, and only suffered mild fever.

At present, there are no reported complications about those children who received the vaccine in the city.

Genevev Orafa, of Barangay Tangke, got worried after hearing the news and said she would not be complacent once her child has fever. —/GAN (FREEMAN)