MANILA, Philippines — A massive vaccination campaign for children who have missed or have yet to receive life-saving jabs against diseases such as polio and measles will be conducted in Metro Manila, the Philippine Medical Association said Friday.
This catch-up immunization drive in the capital region will be held from May 30 to June 10, PMA president Benito Atienza said.
“‘Yung dapat bakunahan dito ‘yung mga zero to five years old nan a-miss nila ‘yung bakuna gawa nga ng Covid, ‘yung mga bagong anak na hindi nabigyan ng bakuna during Covid ay two to three years old na ‘yan. Kaya dapat silang mabakunahan,” he said.
(Those who should get vaccinated are children aged zero to five who failed to get their vaccines because of the pandemic. Babies who had not been immunized because of the health crisis are now two to three years old. That’s why they need to receive shots.)
According to Atienza, five in 10 children were not vaccinated during the pandemic, which caused disruptions in the delivery and uptake of routine immunization services.
The PMA chief also stressed the importance of having children protected as the rainy season begins.
“Dapat ay magpabakuna ng ibang bakuna, hindi lamang sa Covid kasi dumarami na ang cases ng mga nagda-diarrhea, kailangan nang bigyan ng rotavirus vaccine. Marami na rin ‘yung nagkaka-measles at mumps, rubella kaya dapat mabigyan sila ng MMR vaccine,” he said.
(Children should be vaccinated not only against COVID-19 because the cases of diarrhea are increasing. They need to be given a rotavirus vaccine. There are also cases of measles, mumps and rubella so MMR vaccine should be given.) — Gaea Katreena Cabico