The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) targets to cover 123,657 children below 5 years old for its mass immunization in February.

IPHO information officer Irene Dulduco on Tuesday said that they target to immunize 66,616 nine to 59 month-old children against measles and rubella (MR) and 57,041 zero to 59 month-old for oral polio (OP) supplemental immunization.

“The immunization will be conducted in the community fixed site,” she said.

Meantime, Dr. Reinhard Dalumpines, a consultant for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) National Immunization Program, said together with the IPHO and the Department of Health (DOH), they will be conducting the mass vaccination whole month of February.

“MR and OP are a continuing threat to the health and safety of our children,” he said during the meeting of the Inter-Agency Task Force for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) at the Binirayan Gymnasium.

Dalumpines added that since there is still coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), it would be better for the children to have their protection, like undergoing the mass vaccination next month, from other diseases.

“We don’t want that there will be an increase of incidence on measles and rubella and polio while we are still in the midst of Covid-19,” he said.

He said that the local government units could help the UNICEF, IPHO, and DOH in the advocacy.

Meanwhile, Dulduco said that in previous years the Public Health Nurses would conduct the house-to-house immunization.

But due to the Covid-19, rural health units will just identify the barangay halls or daycare centers where the children could be brought by their parents based on their schedule.

“We urge the parents to take the time to bring their children for immunization, she said.

She added that measles is a childhood infection caused by a virus with the child developing fever, dry cough, runny nose, and Koplik spots while polio is a life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus. (PNA)