(L-R): Archana Rajan, GSK Philippines Adult Vaccines Business Unit Director; Dr. Gio Barangan, GSK Philippines Country Medical Director; So Young Seo, GSK Philippines General Manager; Dr. Gaile Robredo-Vitas, Dermatologist; Dr. Rontgene Solante, Infectious Diseases Specialist; Richard Arboleda, GSK Philippines Communications and Government Affairs Head; Rachel Tongson, Adult Vaccines Marketing Manager, GSK Philippines

Health experts joined forces with global biopharma company GSK to launch a nationwide awareness campaign to educate the public on the risks, impact, and prevention of shingles, a debilitating viral infection. Often overlooked, shingles can lead to serious complications if not treated properly, particularly among older adults. The risk of shingles sharply increases at the age of 50.1 Shingles, also known as Herpes Zoster, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox.2 Anyone who has been exposed to the chickenpox virus may develop shingles, as the virus lies dormant in nerve tissue and can reactivate years later.

The campaign aims to raise awareness about the disease, how it impacts quality of life and the importance of consulting a doctor for disease prevention. The initiative also seeks to correct misconceptions and provide reliable information straight from healthcare professionals and those who experienced the disease.

Shingles causes a painful skin rash that often blisters and scabs over in 10 – 15 days.4-5 According to dermatologist Dr. Irene Robredo-Vitas “karamihan talaga ng may shingles ang unang una talagang nakakakita ay mga dermatologist”.

Beyond a rash, there is a significant chance that shingles can lead to serious complications.6 About 30% of patients with shingles will experience long-term nerve pain.6 One out of four patients with shingles can get infected near the eye which may lead to blindness in some cases.

Infectious Diseases Specialist, Dr. Rontgene Solante, discussed the burden of the disease.

According to an infectious diseases specialist, Dr. Rontgene Solante, “shingles is not just an ordinary rash. It has complications that can lead to higher morbidity. It can lead to depression, anxiety, and it can also affect your vision. He further added “a characteristic of shingles is that may tumutubo na mga rashes in one side of the body lang, but the more important characteristic is — ito ay napakasakit. It’s very uncomfortable to the point na yung iba, nahirapan silang mag damit, nahihirapan sila gawin housework nila, daily chores nila because of the severe pain.” One of the guest panelists, Karen Davila, a renowned journalist and shingles sufferer, shared her story to stress the importance of shingles awareness “I have had it twice. I felt depressed, scared, and honestly ashamed. I would not want anybody to experience that.”

(L-R): Host, Issa Litton; Infectious Diseases Specialist, Dr. Rontgene Solante; Dermatologist, Dr. Gaile Robredo-Vitas; and Geenette Garcia, Suffered from Shingles 4-times; during the panel discussion of “Sabi Nila: The Truth About Shingles” media launch.

There are myths and misconceptions surrounding shingles, and one of them is that it is a sexually transmitted disease. According to Dr. Rontgene Solante, “hindi sexually transmitted ang shingles. because the shingles virus is the same virus that causes chickenpox. When you get older, your immune system goes down and that’s when the chickenpox virus reactivates and can become shingles.” No matter how healthy an individual feels, when age 50 or older, one is at risk because the immune system declines with age. Thus, it is crucial to consult a healthcare professional about shingles prevention today.

The shingles awareness campaign seeks to arm the public with knowledge through educational materials from health experts. This effort also aims to dispel myths and provide accurate, reliable information, enabling Filipinos to make informed decisions about their health.

Consult your doctor for more information about shingles, and visit www.whatisshingles.ph to learn more.

Whether it’s catching up with loved ones, going on new adventures or witnessing important milestones – don’t let the flu stop you from being present for the things that matter most. Enjoy a #Unstoppable2023 by safeguarding your health from the flu and other infectious diseases.

WHAT IS THE FLU? NOW CAN IT STOP ME FROM LIFE'S ADVENTURES?

Influenza can be a critical illness that can lead to complications, hospitalizations, and even death in high-risk people.

Seasonal influenza occurs globally and is estimated to infect (symptomatically or asymptomatically in 5 unvaccinated children and 10 unvaccinated adults. In addition, up to 5 million people fall severely ill because of the flu, and every year, up to 650,000 people are at risk of dying globally because of influenza-associated respiratory diseases.

WHY SHOULD I GET AN ANNUAL FLU SHOT?

A flu vaccine helps your immune system provide optimal protection against the flu, enabling you to live your life to the fullest. For vaccinated children as young as six months and older adults. A flu shot can be lifesaving.

Flu vaccine protection declines over time due to the constant changing of the flu virus strain. Due to this, vaccines are annually reviewed and produced to ensure optimal protection against the current flu virus.

WHY SHOULD I GET A FLU SHOT IF I WANT TO HAVE A GREAT YEAR AHEAD?

The best time to get your flu shot is before the flu season starts.

In the Philippines, influenza viruses circulate year-round with multiple annual peaks. Increased activity is seen from June to November.7 If you can get vaccinated as early as you can, the better.

GSK Unstoppable Zoom Conference

Ingrid Nieto-Pagulayan, Host: If you or a guest that you’ve assisted in any of your travels has ever been sick while traveling?

Rafael Dionisio, President and CEO of Make a Difference (MAD) Travel: Personally, whenever I have sickness, I’ll cancel immediately just out of respect to those people around me. Also, recently we had trips around Rizal and Zambales and we had children and adults on that trip who got sick. When traveling, people are engaged in what they're doing and kind of disregard the symptoms (a stuffy nose or itchy throat) but we need to be mindful of other people,

Doc Jing, how can we tell if it's a common cold or flu?

Dr. Jing Velasco-Aro, Vaccine Medical Head, GSK: (The common cold and flu are) both respiratory illnesses. “Although, the symptoms might be similar among the two (common cold vs. flu) which people might find difficult to differentiate just by minding the symptoms alone. But in general, the flu can be worse than your common colds.”

Mr. Dionisio: What's the best way to prevent getting sick?

Dr. Velasco-Aro: The best way is by not to mingle w/ other people, not to go in public spaces, wear masks, do hand hygiene (washing your hands, alcohol rubs/gels), avoid touching your face, have enough rest, have a healthy diet: keep these healthy habits while conversing with other people. Also, have a routine check-up to be preventive. Vaccination isn’t for kids alone, adults need this as well (through vaccination, it will boost your immune system.

Host: When is the best time to get the flu vaccine?

Dr. Velasco-Aro: The influenza virus thrives in weathers (rainy & humid). In the Philippines, it circulates all year-round. Annual peaks of Flu (between June to November), now is the best time to get a flu vaccine and when you’re planning to travel at least 2 weeks before your travel you can get a flu vaccine for the antibodies to be activated but don’t wait whenever you’re just traveling: get a vaccine whenever you can. You have to get yourselves vaccinated, you don’t need to wait whenever you travel. Go to your doctors for your shots and their recommendations.

Host: What if there are people who might feel that their antibodies are working just fine, what else should we take into consideration when getting a flu vaccine and why should we get it?

Dr. Velasco-Aro: People might think that, yes, their antibodies are fine and we do have healthy habits. But we want to optimize getting ourselves healthy and be vaccinated (other benefits: less absenteeism from work, less complications from diseases or hospitalizations, and also we are preventing the people around us from getting sick as well. In helping ourselves, we’re also protecting around us)

Host: Are there specific groups who are more at risk?

Dr. Velasco-Aro: Everyone can get the flu, as early as a 6 month old. Who is the most vulnerable? These children, parents, and grandparents are vulnerable to getting the flu. Even pregnant women are at risk of severe complications from having a flu. We may be actually okay but the people around us are at risk especially our parents with chronic conditions (asthma, COPD, diabetes, or heart diseases).

Mr. Dionisio: Doc you said that the flu circulates year-round, how can I prepare? Does this virus change? For example, can it be more prevalent?

Dr. Velasco-Aro: The flu changes or mutates yearly; which is why it getting a flu vaccine yearly is recommended (Mismatch - even though you were vaccinated last year, you might think that it's okay and you are protected already but as I’ve mentioned your immunity also drops and the circulating chain is differ from year-to-year. That’s why annually you have to get your shots and go to your doctors because getting your flu vaccine yearly would actually reduce your likelihood of getting the disease by 40-60%.)

- 73% worry about dengue, but only one-third feel prepared and in control

- More than 70% believe there is a cure for dengue and that antibiotics are needed to manage symptoms

- 84% are keen to learn more about how to treat and prevent the disease, and parents feel dengue education should be taught in schools

- Allied Against Dengue is committed to raise awareness on dengue prevention and management across Southeast Asia through engagement, empowerment and education

Dengue, the fastest spreading viral disease in the world, is also the number one concern in Southeast Asia (SEA), according to the SEA Dengue Survey. Commissioned by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Consumer Healthcare, the survey takes a comprehensive, present-day look at the prevention and management of Dengue, which outranked dangerous viruses such as Zika and HIV.

GSK is one of the founders of Allied Against Dengue (AAD), an open movement initiated by public and private institutions with a mission to reduce the impact of the disease on society. The pharmaceutical company presented the highlights of the survey at a scientific forum on ASEAN Dengue Day in Legazpi, Albay.

Two thirds of respondents are anxious about widespread occurrence of the virus, and almost 40% have had an immediate family member who has suffered from it. While governments in the region have made extensive efforts to inform their citizens, dengue continues to be a huge burden to society.

“The impact of dengue has dramatically risen over the past few decades, putting about half of the world’s population at risk,” says Debjit Rudra, Area General Manager for Southeast Asia, GSK Consumer Healthcare. “Southeast Asia alone carries the highest prevalence of dengue, affecting 2.9 million people annually, representing the biggest regional burden in the world.”

There is also rampant misunderstanding among the public, with more than 70% in the region and almost 80% in the Philippines mistakenly believing there is a cure,  or that antibiotics are needed to manage dengue symptoms. A low 28% of Filipino respondents are aware that paracetamol is the only recommended medication for dengue fever management as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO). One of the trusted paracetamol brands in the Philippines is Calpol, which is proven safe and efficient in relieving pain and fever among children who are most vulnerable to the disease.

Beyond management, survey findings also uncovered that there is still a struggle to identify the symptoms of dengue in the Philippines. Only 19% know that dengue can be detected on the first day of infection and that majority would only visit the doctor when fever persists up to 3 days. Ironically, more than half of parents are confident that they would be able to diagnose their children with dengue, which may lead to misdiagnosis and place children in jeopardy.

“It is alarming that a large proportion of the population are misinformed about dengue management. This emphasizes the greater need for education,” Rudra says. “In light of these results, the AAD will continue to intensify its public advocacy program to mitigate the impact of dengue on communities in the region.”

On a positive note, the survey revealed that 95% of Filipinos are interested to learn more about dengue, and almost all parents feel schools should play a role in educating students about the disease.

Initiated by a coalition of 12 organizations, the AAD launched its pilot educational campaign in Indonesia in 2015, followed by Malaysia and the Philippines. More than 11,500 healthcare professionals and pharmacists joined efforts to empower and educate more than seven million patients on disease prevention and management across digital and media channels, and on-ground activations.

Active members of AAD, alongside GSK in the country, are the Department of Health (DOH) and Mercury Drug Corporation. Each organization provides their expertise in support of defeating dengue burden in the Philippines.

“Dengue is rife in Southeast Asia and, as a coalition partner; we can play an active role in society empowerment. The AAD is a perfect model on how we can join forces, and leverage on our collective strength and partnerships to drive awareness. The results of the survey will guide us on developing initiatives to educate people better,” Rudra says.