An infectious disease expert said that the government must aggressively pursue the vaccination of the vulnerable sectors of the society, particularly the unvaccinated, immune-compromised individuals and the elderly with pressing conditions, for them to avoid severe illnesses that will compromise their health condition.
Dr. Rontgene Solante, chairman, Adult Infections Diseases and Tropical Medicine of the San Lazaro Hospital and the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, said that COVID-19 remains a serious concern because it is still transmissible and poses a serious threat to the vulnerable sectors that is why the said individuals must already be vaccinated against flu and pneumonia to prevent them from contracting life-threatening illnesses.
Solante discussed why getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine matters during the Seminar-Workshop on Injecting Hope Catch Up Vaccination and life-Course Immunization spearheaded by the Philippine Press Institute, the national association of newspapers, in partnership with Pfizer Philippines, Pharmaceutical and Health Care Association of the Philippines, Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations, Philippine Medical Association and Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, Inc.
He pointed out that the anti-flu and anti-pneumonia vaccines for the elderly will allow them to reduce the threat to their health from life-threatening illnesses because these will be milder instead of the elderly contracting severe infection that may lead to their untimely demise.
However, he claimed that for this year, the health department earmarked funds to purchase some five million anti-flu vaccines for indigent senior citizens which is way below the 8 million indigent elderly population in the country.
According to him, once the law mandating the mandatory vaccination of all senior citizens will be passed, the government is obliged to vaccinate some 12 million senior citizens that requires the health department to significantly increase the funds being allotted for the purchase of the needed vaccines for the elderly.
Solante underscored the importance of the vaccination of Filipinos across the life stages for them to be spared from contracting severe infection from life-threatening illnesses.
Solante asserted that in terms of the COVID-19 vaccines, people must already get the updated vaccine to combat the new variants and mutations of the deadly virus as the ones that were already inoculated to the people are no longer effective to the mutations of the COVID-19.
Further, he stipulated that COVID-19 is already considered a long-term illness that is why it is important for people to be vaccinated with the updated and specific vaccine for the present variant and mutation although the vaccines will no longer be given out by the government considering that the two Bayanihan laws and the state of national public health emergency that covered the mass vaccination already expired and lifted to pave the way the recovery of the heavily impacted economy.
He assured that the vaccines that are available for the said illnesses are safe and will guarantee the protection of the people from contracting severe conditions that will compromise their health and even cause their untimely death.