Dengue is still deadly

According to a survey conducted by SWS, 83% of Filipinos are hoping the worst is over with COVID-19. In other countries, the attitude is to "just live with it". But a majority are still fearful of catching the coronavirus and getting sick, especially after reports of an uptick in the number of positive cases in the country. This is why we still see many wearing face masks outside. It is not difficult for Filipinos to follow health guidelines, unlike many Americans who believe wearing a face mask violates their freedom. The government should still push their vaccination and booster programs to get as many vaccinated as possible. Fortunately, many now trust the COVID-19 vaccine. Note that the virus continues to mutate into new variants.

On another note, dengue cases are increasing all over the country. The DOH tallied 65,190 cases in 2022. This is 83% higher compared to last year. A total of 274 also died. That's a lot. This disease, which is caused by mosquito bites from the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, is nothing to dismiss. It is still deadly.

You cannot talk about dengue without mentioning Dengvaxia. I just searched the internet. Only the Philippines has had a problem or controversy with Dengvaxia. No one else. Dengvaxia is already approved in America and Europe, as well as countries in South America. Some countries in Asia such as Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia use Dengvaxia so those who can afford it get vaccinated there. According to an expert in infectious diseases, Dengvaxia is effective if used properly. Like COVID vaccines, you are not guaranteed immunity, but you can be assured the outcome will not be serious. To be effective, you must have one previous bout of dengue. This is what Sanofi Pasteur belatedly informed us, creating the politicization of the vaccine leading to its being banned.

Unfortunately, this was the fate of Dengvaxia. Those who fell ill may have been given adequate protection that could have prevented their death. There are still those who oppose the return of the vaccine. No surprises there. But looking at it from a scientific standpoint, without politicians or grandstanders, Dengvaxia is highly effective. Only a vaccine can fight a virus. The Dengvaxia issue led to a high percentage of vaccine hesitancy among parents, which many believed to have caused the measles outbreak in the country. Hopefully, the government should take a good, objective look at bringing back Dengvaxia, which so far is the only vaccine against dengue. If it is approved for use by many countries without any controversy, why not here?