Marikina opts for daily polio vaccination

MANILA, Philippines — The Marikina city government is conducting daily oral polio vaccination (OPV) to cover an estimated 40,000 “high risk” children in the city.

Health Assistant Secretary Rosario Vergeire said the city government made OPV vaccination available in health centers every day, including Saturday and Sunday, so that working parents can still have their children immunized.

She said each of the 59 vaccination teams will cover 80 to 120 children every day to attain the target of inoculating 95 percent of children population under five years.

Last Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) and the city government, led by Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, kicked off the synchronized OPV immunization in Marikina.

Teodoro joined the health workers in administering OPV in different health centers and also conducted house-to-house vaccination in several barangays.

“If we fail to reach our target after round two of OPV immunization, we will set another round of vaccination every month until we meet the 95 percent coverage,” Vergeire said.