It's also important for adult Filipinos to get vaccinated, health expert says

A health expert on Wednesday underscored the need for vaccination among adults as he urged the government to expand its free immunization initiatives to include adult Filipinos.

Bryan Posadas, vice president of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV), made the call in a media roundtable on Wednesday to mark World Immunization Week.

Posadas said doctors have noticed a significant gap in adult vaccinations.

“Maraming mga pagpasok natin ng working class, they stopped taking vaccines. And then usually nagtatake na lang ulit ng vaccines kapag senior citizen na (A lot of us stop taking vaccines when we enter the working class. And then usually, we just take vaccines again once we are senior citizens),” he said.

“One thing that we need to understand is vaccination must be done as often as possible or based on schedule,” Posadas added.

He said adult, working Filipinos who get infections might also spread viruses and affect overall productivity.

“Marami sa mga Pilipino are working and are paid on a daily basis (Many Filipinos are working and are paid on a daily basis). One day that they are down with flu, that would mean there is an impact on their economic capability, on financing as well. Minsan ang iniisip natin (Sometimes we think), is it always about the cost? But we always forget that prevention will always be better than cure,” he noted.

Posadas then urged for vaccines to be made more accessible, as he cited the efforts of pharmacies that offer vaccination services.

He also called on the government to expand its free vaccination programs to address Filipinos’ concerns about the costs of immunization.

“PhilHealth has their programs. The YAKAP, the GAMOT, they’re working on primary care, they’re working on prevention. We sincerely hope PhilHealth would start considering giving free vaccines as well through partners, because that is how we can prevent the country,” Posadas said.

“Let’s not just look at it na parang (like) initial cost, let’s look at it as a prevention for further complications that could cause more harm,” he added.

The PFV official also appealed for stronger educational campaigns to deter vaccine hesitancy.

“Most of the time we are always limited with information na kung ano yung current na nangyari (on what is currently happening). But we forget history… Vaccination definitely will save lives, vaccination definitely is effective, and vaccination is something that we cannot let go because we know we don’t want those infectious disease that has haunted us in the past cause harm,” Posadas said.

“We would always appeal, get the correct information from your medical doctors… We have to make the right choices and consult your medical doctor, your pharmacist so we will be guided,” he added. — JMA, GMA News