The top official of the Department of Health in Western Visayas today, February 5, clarified that the ongoing mass immunization in the region is for measles-rubella and polio and not for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Dr. Emelia Monicimpo, DOH 6 regional director, said the DOH was issuing the clarification following reports that some parents have mistaken the Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR OPV SIA) to the forthcoming vaccination against COVID-19.
“We hope parents and guardians will not confuse the ongoing MR OPV SIA campaign from the COVID-19 vaccine. There are different target populations for these two different campaigns,” she said.
The MR OPV SIA campaign aims to vaccinate children 0-59 months old, while the COVID-19 vaccination will prioritize frontline health workers and senior citizens, she explained.
The mass immunization for measles-rubella and oral polio vaccine started on February 1 and will end on February 28 in all barangays of Western Visayas, she said.
Parents and guardians with children aged 0-59 months old are encouraged to bring their children to health centers and vaccination posts in their community for immunization, she added.
Monicimpo said children aged 0-59 months will be given the bivalent oral polio vaccine, while those who are 9-59 months old will be given supplemental doses of vaccines for measles-rubella, regardless of past immunization record.
She assured that there is no risk of overdose as fully immunized children receiving extra doses of MR and OPV will receive additional protection from these diseases.*