DoH pushes traditional vaccines as back-up against COVID-19

The Department of Health (DoH) on Thursday recommended the use of flu and pneumonia vaccines to prevent complications related to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In a television interview, Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Health department has a program in place to administer vaccines against the flu and pneumonia to children and the elderly and agreed they can help prevent complications from COVID-19.

“We agree with that. Actually, we have that kind of program for children and for the elderly,” Vergeire said. “It can help you so that you will not have additional complications if you have COVID-19. We do not advise against vaccination against flu and pneumonia. In fact, we even recommend it because we have that program as well.”

Some patients with COVID-19 have had pneumonia or other symptoms of the flu.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among the symptoms of influenza or flu are fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue — which are highly identical to the symptoms of COVID-19.

In the same interview, Vergeire also explained that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was referring to the longer case doubling time for COVID-19 or the period it takes for the number of confirmed cases to become two-fold, and the readiness of the Philippines’ health system when he said the country has flattened the curve since April.

The DoH official explained that flattening the curve should be interpreted with two indicators, such as the case doubling time and the readiness of the health system in responding to the pandemic.

“When we say we flattened the curve, we would like to lengthen the time that the cases will double or the cases will increase that much and it will peak so that we can have adequate time to prepare for our health system,” she stated.

“So, when we say that we have flattened the curve, we were able to prepare our health system just in case there would be a surge or an increase in the number of cases in the country. When the secretary said this, he was really meaning that we were able to prepare our health system,” she added.