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ILOILO City – Community or “herd” immunity can prevent disease outbreaks, according to the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6.
Essentially it refers to the control of a variety of contagious diseases, including measles, influenza, measles, mumps, and pneumococcal disease, said the regional Family and Nutrition Cluster head.
“There are a number of diseases and infections that are vaccine-preventable,” Dr. Renilyn Reyes told the 2nd Western Visayas Health Research Conference at Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center on Oct. 21.
When a critical portion of a community is immunized against a communicable disease, there will be little opportunity for outbreak, protecting most members of that community from that disease, she said.
Meanwhile Reyes said the coverage of the fully immunized child (FIC) program in Western Visayas dropped to 67.06 percent in 2015 from 73.39 percent in 2014.
The FIC target was 95 percent.
Among provinces, Iloilo had the highest FIC coverage with 75.6 percent. Guimaras had 74.9 percent; Antique, 74.1 percent; Aklan, 73.1 percent; Capiz, 71.1 percent; and Negros Occidental, 49.4 percent.
Highly urbanized cities Bacolod and Iloilo attained FIC coverage of 89.1 percent and 75.5 percent, respectively. (PIA/PN)
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