DOH targets 95% coverage on children's vaccination program for measles, polio

The Department of Health (DOH) is targeting 95% coverage in the nationwide supplemental immunization campaign to vaccinate children against measles, polio, and rubella.

"95% coverage is needed in order for us to attain herd immunity. Ito ‘yung isang phenomenon based on science, na kapag na-achieve mo ‘yung pagpapabakuna ng 95% of your population, yung 5% kahit hindi sila bakunado, they would be provided with that immunity also," Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

(95% coverage is needed in order for us to attain herd immunity. This is a phenomenon based on science: if you achieve the vaccination of 95% of your population, the 5%, even if they are not vaccinated, would be provided with that immunity as well.)

"Ngayon ‘pag hindi natin na-achive yung herd immunity at 95%, the possibility of outbreaks would always be there. Kasi itong mga hindi nababakunahan, they become the pull of susceptibles, sila ‘yung vulnerable na magkakasakit sila, at madali nilang maipanghahawa sa mga hindi pa rin bakunado," added Vergeire.

(If we don't achieve herd immunity at 95%, the possibility of outbreaks will always exist. Because these people are not vaccinated, they become susceptible, they are the ones who will get sick. They can easily infect those who are also not vaccinated.)

Vergeire said the DOH has mobilized and collaborated with the regional units, local governments, and private sectors for this campaign.

"Based on our analysis, in the past five years, 1 out of 3 children do not get their measles vaccine, kasi ang ating range lang ng ating accomplishment for the measles and rubella vaccine is 58 to 73 percent. So, marami parin sa ating mga kabataan ang hindi pa rin nakakatanggap ng kanilang bakuna, so having said that yung posibilidad na magkaroon ng outbreak, ay laging nandyan," she said.

(Based on our analysis, in the past five years, 1 out of 3 children did not get their measles vaccine because the range of accomplishment for the measles and rubella vaccine is only 58 to 73 percent. Many of our young people still do not receive their vaccine, having said that, the possibility of having an outbreak is always there.)

The DOH OIC mentioned that in 2019, there were more than 600 deaths among children due to the outbreak. That's why the health department wants to intensify the vaccination of young people.

The supplemental immunization activities for children will be held from May 2 to 31 under the "Chikiting Ligtas 2023" program.

Meanwhile, Vergeire said that the DOH would leave the decision to the local governments and establishments if the schools must shift to online learning system due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Still, she noted that the DOH and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will continue to oversee the situation. 

On Tuesday, the DOH reported that the new daily average of COVID-19 daily new average rose to 42% in the last week of April. An increase in the in the country's positivity rate was also observed by independent monitoring group OCTA Research in the same period.  —VAL, GMA Integrated News