MORE than 800,000 children in Central Luzon have received the polio vaccine under the second round of the Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio campaign that commenced September 14, the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Luzon reported.
As of September 19, the health agency said a total of 882,055 kids ages 0-59 months were vaccinated with Monovalent Oral Poliovirus Type 2 (mOPV2).
The number is equivalent to 65.48 percent of the total target coverage of 1.3-million of DOH-Central Luzon for the second round of the campaign.
The Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio campaign aims to stop the transmission of the poliovirus type 2 outbreak by giving doses of mOPV2 to all children, regardless of immunization status.
DOH-Central Luzon urges all parents and caregivers of children under five years old to take part in the second round of the SPKP campaign.
"Polio is a highly contagious disease transmitted through the fecal-oral route. It is caused by the poliovirus and may result in life-long paralysis and even death. Unlike Covid-19, polio has a vaccine that is free, safe, and effective. There is no cure for polio but can be prevented with multiple doses of polio vaccines through routine immunizations. Your children can be vaccinated either through our public health workers or your chosen private physician or pediatricians," the agency said in a statement.
The agency assured strict observance of minimum health standards is being implemented by all health workers.
Such infection prevention control measures include wearing of face masks, use of alcohol based hand-rubs between children, temperature checks, and physical distancing are strictly done during house-to-house vaccinations.