By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Stressing that the airborne pertussis can be cured, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa on Wednesday (10 April 2024) said there should be effort to get rid of vaccine scare
At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay at Cafe Adriatico hosted by veteran journalist Marichu A. Villanueva, the DOH chief disclosed that the government is making every effort to obtain an adequate supply of pertussis vaccine.
“Pertussis is a vaccine-preventable illness. Deaths are preventable. That’s what I want to emphasize to the parents,” Herbosa said.
He also bared that the available vaccine supply is expected to be exhausted by May.
Herbosa said the DOH has ordered 4 million doses of the pentavalent vaccine, but it may take 120 days for it to arrive, possibly in July.
He added that as of last count, 49 children have already lost their lives to the disease.
“Kapag ang bata di gumagaling ang ubo 3 to 4 days, pakonsulta agad,” Herbosa said.
He clarified that the whooping cough by asthmatic individuals is different from the one brought by pertussis.
Herbosa said if the whooping cough is accompanied by fever, then it’s likely to be pertussis and should see the doctor immediately.
(el Amigo/MNM)
