FREE VACCINATION VS H1N1 VIRUS TO HEALTH WORKERS – CHO

The City Health Office (CHO) has announced in an interview by radio station dwGO that health workers all over the city will be vaccinated against the A(H1N1) virus as part of the city’s response to the pandemic.

“Our frontline health workers are at higher risk for getting the disease than ordinary people due to their larger probability of exposure. In addition, they may also transmit the infection to other patients, as well as their families and co-workers, so it is appropriate that they be given priority now that the vaccines are ready for deployment”, City Health Officer Arnildo Tamayo said.

Tamayo said that part of the priority list for vaccination are the pregnant women, children six months to five years old, those 60 years old and above, and those with chronic medical conditions.

The AH1N1 vaccine is available at the city health office and to the different barangay health centers. It is to be given free to the recipients until May 26, 2010.

“When AH1N1 struck last year, we were spared from this virus, but we are not complacent about it, we have to continue our aim to increase the awareness of Olongapenos about this deadly virus,” Mayor James “Bong” Gordon, Jr. said.

According to the Department of Health (DOH, more than 420,000 health workers at the national and local levels and the public and private sectors will benefit from the vaccine. The 1.9 million doses of the vaccine arrived during the last week of March and are being shipped to the different regions of the country. Health workers from the regional health offices and local government units have been oriented prior to the distribution of the vaccine.

Based on statistical data, as of May 9 2010, worldwide, more than 214 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including over 18,036 deaths.

The City Health Office (CHO) is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the 17 barangay health centers in the city and through monitoring of multiple sources of information.