VACCINATION. An official of the Department of Health in Bicol urges students, parents, and teachers to get vaccinated against Covid-19 duringa demand generation activity in this undated photo. The DOH also urged fully vaccinated individuals to get booster shots. (Photo courtesy of DOH-5) LEGAZPI CITY - The Department of Health in Bicol (DOH-5) has started giving booster shots to young people aged 12-17 in some areas in the region. Noemi Bron, DOH-5 health and promotion officer, in an interview on Monday said at least 468,746 Pfizer-BioNTech booster doses for this age group are now available. "Some local government units (LGUs) have started giving the first booster for the said age group. Booster doses or 'additional doses' provide complete protection against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and its emerging variants," Bron said. In a statement, the DOH-Bicol said those who are eligible for booster vaccination are the immunocompromised, non-immunocompromised, and the res
DOH IN ACTION. An official of the Department of Health in Bicol urges students, parents, and teachers to get vaccinated against Covid-19 during the demand generation activity in this undated photo. The DOH also encouraged the fully vaccinated individuals to get booster shots. (Photo courtesy of DOH-5) LEGAZPI CITY - The Department of Health in Bicol (DOH-5) has conducted "demand generation activities" to encourage more residents to get vaccinated as the region logged increase of Covid-19 cases. Noemi Bron, DOH-Bicol Health and Promotion chief, said the activity is to inform the public on the importance of the Covid-19 vaccination. "For the month of June at least 11,997 individuals from different provinces in the region availed the vaccination, and the campaign will be sustained by the Local government units (LGUs)," Bron said in interview on Thursday. She said the demand generation activities were conducted in various schools in the municipalities that have low vacc
The Department of Health-Bicol office inLegazpi City(File photo) LEGAZPI CITY - The Department of Health-Bicol (DOH-5) on Thursday declared the region malaria-free. Noemi Bron, DOH-Bicol Health and Promotion chief, said the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU) has reported zero malaria cases in the region since 2012. "Malaria-free po tayo(We are malaria-free)for the past 10 years," Bron said. Malaria is a life-threatening yet preventable and treatable disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium that is often transmitted to humans through the bite of the Anopheles mosquito. "Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and chills that usually appear 10 to 15 days after getting bitten. If left untreated, an infected person may experience kidney failure, seizure, coma, and in severe cases, death," the agency said in a statement. In 2020, an estimated 241 million cases of malaria were recorded worldwide. Bron said the disease can be avoided by using insecticide-
GETTING PROTECTED. A teenaged boy receives his Covid-19 vaccine in Albay in this undated photo. As of January 2022, the province has covered 58 percent of its total population of 1,423,708. (Photo courtesy of Albay-PIO) LEGAZPI CITY - The Department of Health Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Bicol aims to inoculate 266,340 during the third national government vaccination campaign against Covid-19 on February 10 and 11. Noemi Bron, DOH-Bicol Health and Promotion chief, said in an interview on Tuesday that the "Bayanihan, Bakunahan 3" will include those 12 years old and above who have yet to receive their primary and booster shots. "From the total target, the 117,180 are those who need to receive their first dose, while 149,160 are targeted to receive their booster dose," Bron said. Those who were vaccinated at least three months after the second dose of a two-dose vaccine, or least two months after the single-dose jabs, are encouraged to avail of booster shots
Department of Health-Center for Health Development regional office Bicol (PNA file photo) LEGAZPI CITY - The Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in Bicol reported on Wednesday drugstores in the region have enough supply of medication for flu-like symptoms. In a press conference, Bicol CHD Regional Director Dr. Ernie V. Vera said while there is a shortage of branded paracetamol in selected drugstores, generic medications including paracetamol are still available. "Branded and generic drugs have the same effect despite differences in price ranges," he said. Vera also encouraged the public to support the use of generic drugs. The Bicol DOH-CHD also conducted a quick survey among drugstores in the region to identify the status of the supply of paracetamol and other flu medicines. "The survey results show that out of the 123 respondents, 23 reported that they were out of paracetamol while 14 of the 23 reported that they were out of other flu medicatio