Misinformation drives low measles-rubella vax rate

CEBU, Philippines — Vaccine hesitancy driven by misinformation circulating on social media is slowing Mandaue City’s measles-rubella vaccination campaign, with health officials saying only about 10 percent of the city’s target children have been vaccinated four days into the activity.

Nix Alegado, National Immunization Program coordinator of the Mandaue City Health Office (CHO), said the low accomplishment was largely due to parents refusing to have their children vaccinated despite the availability of vaccines.

“Especially karon nga paspas na kaayo ang pagkatag sa misinformation tungod sa social media, ‎kana ang usa sa mga rason nganong ubos atong accomplishment," Alegado said on Thursday, August 13, noting that the city’s vaccination accomplishment has declined compared with previous campaigns.

Based on data from the CHO, only about 10 percent, or roughly 3,000, of the city’s more than 30,000 target children have received their vaccines. Meanwhile, about 577 parents refuse to have their children vaccinated each day, while another 448 children are deferred for later vaccination.

Alegado said feedback from the field showed that some parents were refusing vaccination because of claims circulating online, including references to what they called “katay na sad.”

He said health workers have been addressing parents’ concerns through health education and by answering questions about vaccine safety.

“Amo i-address nga safe ang vaccine and backed by science and evidence. Dili ni siya dapat kahadlokan ug para ni sa kaayuhan sa atong mga bata,” Alegado said.

He said the vaccine may cause common and generally mild reactions, including pain, redness or swelling at the injection site, and mild fever.

The CHO has received reports of such reactions, but Alegado said no severe allergic reactions have been reported so far.

Health workers also assess reported adverse events to determine whether they are related to vaccination or may have other causes, he said.

Alegado warned that children who remain unvaccinated are at greater risk of contracting measles and developing complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis.

He stressed that vaccination is a preventive measure and is intended to protect children before they contract the disease.

The DOH’s three-week Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity began on August 10 across Central Visayas and targets children aged six months to 59 months.

In Mandaue, 59 vaccination teams have been deployed to communities and sitios across the city’s 27 barangays.

CHO head Dr. Debra Catulong urged parents to listen to health professionals and rely on verified information instead of social media posts when making decisions about vaccination.

“My appeal is for you to listen to the experts and not to what you see on social media,” Catulong said.

She also called on parents to have their children vaccinated against measles and rubella, saying the city does not want to experience another epidemic similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Hinaot lang nga magtinabangay ta this time, because we don't want another round of epidemic nga sama sa atong nasulayan sa panahon sa COVID," said Catulong.

Health workers are also going house-to-house and visiting different sitios and puroks to make vaccination more accessible, while continuing to engage parents who have concerns about the vaccine.

The campaign will run for three weeks, with the CHO continuing efforts to increase vaccination coverage and address vaccine hesitancy in the city. (CEBU NEWS)