MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) has on Monday, (25 November 2019) rolled out another round of mass polio vaccination to contain the resurgence of the disease.
Parents who have children of five (5) years of age and up can get immunized for free until Dec.7 under the “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio.” Three new polio cases were confirmed recently.
The DOH said free oral polio vaccines will be administered at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial in Manila.
Also, free vaccines will be available in health centers nationwide.
Health workers are going from house to house to vaccinate children, in Mindanao.
In September, the DOH confirmed the re-emergence of polio in the Philippines, 19 years after the World Health Organization declared the country polio-free.
Meanwhile, the first case was recorded in Lanao del Sur while the second and third case was from Laguna and Maguindanao.
Polio is a highly contagious disease caused when the poliovirus invades the nervous system.
Symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiff neck and sudden onset of floppy arms or legs.
Severe polio cases can also lead to permanent paralysis or even death. (Marian Sinamban/IAMIGO/CNS)
