EDITORIAL & CARTOONS: A killer disease resurfaces

September 22, 2019September 22, 2019 Editor 0 Comment EDITORIAL & CARTOONS: A killer disease resurfaces

Vaccination becomes more urgent as the DOH reported that environmental samples have shown the presence of type 1 poliovirus in Manila and type 2 in Davao. So far, no type 3 virus has been detected. Type 2 was supposed to have been eradicated globally in September 2015, with the last infection reported in 1999 in India.In a country declared polio-free, the presence of the two types of the virus plus the confirmation of the two cases constitute an epidemic. Every effort must be made to prevent the outbreak from spreading into truly epidemic proportions. Parents, schools, barangay personnel and local government units must work closely together with health professionals to have all children below five years old vaccinated against polio. The country must be quickly restored to its polio-free status.

Filipino children have been getting polio vaccines for about half a century. The last case of poliovirus in the country was recorded in 1993, and the country was declared free of the degenerative and potentially deadly disease in 2000.

Last week health officials declared that the disease has resurfaced, with a three-year-old girl in Lanao del Sur who has not been vaccinated becoming paralyzed by Type 2 poliovirus. A day later, the Department of Health confirmed that a five-year-old boy in Laguna had also been stricken by poliovirus. The boy suffered from the onset of paralysis on Aug. 25 but has since recovered his ability to walk, although he is still being closely monitored by the DOH.

Poliomyelitis can infect the brain and spinal cord, crippling a person for life. The disease can cause death. The DOH is still trying to determine if the boy, described as immunocompromised, or with a weak immune system that makes him vulnerable to many illnesses, has been vaccinated against polio.

ADS by Cloud 9:
.
– SPACE RESERVE FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENT –

Parents, however, should not wait for the boy’s vaccination to be determined; they must make sure their children are immunized against the infectious disease. Unlike the vaccine against dengue, the efficacy of the anti-polio vaccine has been established for decades. It is safe for recipients, easy to administer, and provided for free by the government.

MANILA STANDARD

> A collective demand

# MANILA TIMES

> PANDORA’S BOX

ADS by Cloud 9:
.
– SPACE RESERVE FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENT –

P.D.INQUIRER

>Who made this decision

PHILSTAR

> . A killer disease resurfaces

ADS by Cloud 9:
.
– SPACE RESERVE FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENT –

PILIPINO STAR NGAYON

Huwag matakot sa polio vaccine

The Straits Times

The Sunday Times says

Food and fast cars help brand nation

PUBLISHED

1 HOUR AGO

Food and fast cars are in the headlines as the Michelin Guide Singapore unveiled its fourth edition and the Singapore Grand Prix zips into town. This year, the Michelin Guide awarded two restaurants the coveted three stars: Odette and Les Amis. Its Bib Gourmand guide, which highlights eateries with value-for-money food that costs no more than $45 a person, added eight new establishments to the list of 58. Now into its 11th year, the Singapore Grand Prix gives the city skyline its most glamorous selfie moment as the glittering backdrop to the night race. Off the track, the event offers first-rate music acts as well as a chance for people to star-spot as celebrities come to town.

ADS by Cloud 9:
.
– SPACE RESERVE FOR YOUR ADVERTISEMENT –

Both events have attracted their fair share of brickbats. But these high-profile events have helped burnish the Singapore brand. F1 was the first night race and the first Asia street circuit in 2008. Even the most jaded Singaporean cannot deny that the city skyline and centre, threaded through with the dazzling race route, looked like a sparkling jewel. That Instagram-worthy sight marked Singapore’s international debut as an iconic cityscape. It was a soft-power moment that has also brought in hard economic benefits. In its first 10 years, F1 brought more than 450,000 visitors and an estimated $1.4 billion in tourist receipts. The annual broadcast of the race reached more than 780 million viewers.