CALAMBA CITY (PIA) – The Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in Calabarzon has urged local government units to prioritize unvaccinated individuals in their routine immunization programs to prevent the spread of highly contagious respiratory diseases. 

Dr. Mark Nicholas Santos, the regional coordinator for the National Immunization Program, emphasized that government routine immunizations should prioritize the attainment of a 95 percent target of vaccine coverage to prevent outbreaks caused by the spread of infectious diseases, which include pertussis.

“We need to focus our vaccination strategy among the unimmunized and those with incomplete immunization. Various vaccination strategies can be implemented, such as door-to-door vaccination campaigns, and setting up temporary vaccination sites in our health centers to ensure accessibility for the public,” Santos said.

Pertussis, more commonly known as ‘whooping cough’, is a highly contagious bacterial disease characterized by symptoms such as prolonged bouts of coughing that can persist for two (2) weeks or more. 

DOH Calabarzon advised local health offices to prioritize catch-up vaccination activities in communities where pertussis cases have been reported. 

Santos added: “This means that it’s not only the barangay where the index cases are reported that should be vaccinated, nearby barangays should also conduct catch-up immunization activities [to prevent the disease from spreading].” 

The Health department recommends the administration of Tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccines as booster immunizations for children and adolescents aged five years and older.

DOH said that it has started purchasing pentavalent vaccines for use during outbreak response immunization, as well as the antibiotic drug Azithromycin for post-exposure prophylaxis antibiotic therapy. 

Meanwhile, the department assured local governments in Calabarzon that it would provide technical assistance, including monitoring, investigation, and other relevant support and services to better respond to respiratory illnesses.

As of March 30, 2024, the DOH-Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit has reported 206 cases of pertussis in the region from January 1 to March 30 – 81 of which are confirmed pertussis cases, 86 are suspected cases, and 39 are probable cases. (PB/PIA-4A; with reports from DOH CHD Calabarzon)