Parents urged to have toddlers immunized against other diseases

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) yesterday asked concerned parents or guardians in areas under Alert Level 1 to let their children, aged zero to two years old, be immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases.

According to PMA president Benny Atienza, these are the children who were born after the COVID-19 pandemic started so many of them have not received their shots against measles, for instance.

“We hope the parents will take advantage of the alert level to get their zero to two years old children vaccinated. Many of them have missed out on their immunization because of pandemic,” he said at a press briefing.

Based on the National Expanded Program on Immunization of the Department of Health, the vaccines that should be given among children aged one year old and below are BGC for tuberculosis and hepatitis B; for diphtheria-tetanus-hepatitis B- pertussis-pneumonia-meningitis; polio; measles/mumps and German measles.

Atienza cautioned that the country is entering summer soon and this is when measles cases usually increase.

He urged parents to check with their health centers for free vaccines that are available for their children.

Atienza maintained the government also has immunization program for senior citizens such as flu so a relaxed alert level should provide them a chance to get vaccinated, not only against COVID-19 but other diseases as well.