photo from Manila Health Department

While the country’s COVID-19 cases are going down because of mass vaccination, Infectious Diseases Expert Dr. Remedios Coronel advised younger generations to still take extra safety precautions because they could get infected with the flu and chances of transmitting the virus is higher among their age group. “Flu transmissions are usually from children and youth. It spreads fast in schools and public places where they usually frequent. Someone sneezes and everyone’s at risk. Then they go home--hold the door knob, touch the TV remote, get a plate--without washing their hands. And before we know it, the flu virus has taken over the home.”

The topic was brought up during an episode about ‘Protecting our Lolos and Lolas in the Household’ aired via ‘Okay, Doc’, an online show hosted by veteran broadcast journalist Jing Castaneda. Dr. Coronel advised that aside from hygienic measures, the whole family should be vaccinated against the flu after completing their COVID vaccines to ensure that everyone has an extra layer of protection thus, reducing the risks of our elderly to infectious diseases. “While you need to encourage your lola and lola to get vaccinated against the flu, you also need to get vaccinated against it since you regularly go out of the house. By getting the flu vaccine, you protect yourself and your loved ones. Make sure to get the quadrivalent flu vaccine for broader protection,” Coronel quipped.

Meanwhile, fashion Designer Renee Salud shared that her whole household got COVID but no one became severely ill because everyone’s completely vaccinated. “I believe in vaccines. I’ve seen its efficacy and I’ve witnessed how it helped save our household.”

Local government units for its part have launched one-on-one health education consultations to push for correct information dissemination about vaccines. According to Dr. Lynnette Gemperle, Chief of the Integrated Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Office of the Manila Health Department, they have 46 health centers in Manila which regularly update their Facebook pages regarding their vaccine services. Because of this, 73% of Manila’s senior citizens have been vaccinated against the flu for free. The Department of Health started their free flu vaccination program for indigent senior citizens in 2011. Under the National Policy on Health and Wellness Program for Senior Citizens or HWPSC, the scope was expanded to include all senior citizens in the country.

Dr. Gemperle said that they still have a long way to go because they have to encourage the younger generations, parents, uncles and aunties, also those with comorbidities to get their flu vaccines as soon as possible.

The public can get their flu vaccines from different health clinics while seniors can get their free flu vaccines from health centers nearest them.