DOH: Avoid kissing babies on the lips

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THE Department of Health yesterday warns parents and guardians to refrain from kissing their babies on the lips to avoid transmission of pertussis or whooping cough which saw an increase in cases starting January this year.

“To our mothers with babies or newborn babies, let us avoid kissing them on the lips,”
Health Undersecretary and spokesperson Eric Tayag said in Filipino.

Tayag also said that if a parent or guardian has colds or cough, he or she should wear a mask. They should also was wash their hands well before handling a baby.

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He said these are among the preventive measures one can do to prevent the spread of whopping cough, aside from having their babies vaccinated.

Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial respiratory infection that causes influenza-like symptoms of mild fever, colds, and hacking coughs seven to 10 days after exposure.

Tayag explained that while it is not airborne, one could get pertussis mainly through droplets produced by coughing or sneezing.

On Monday, Tayag said there would be no mandatory wearing of face masks amid the rise in pertussis cases, and the DOH is not mulling lockdowns similar to those implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DOH earlier said some three million vaccine doses for pertussis are arriving in the country “at the soonest possible time.”

It said it has also procured at least five million more vaccine doses against measles and rubella.

“These will add to the more than 64,400 pentavalent and 2.6 million doses of measles-rubella vaccines already being distributed by DOH and used to protect our children,” it added.

It said that as of February 24, it has recorded 569 measles and rubella cases/

Measles is also a highly infectious respiratory illness spread through sneezing and coughing while rubella infection that may cause fetal death or birth defects.

The San Juan city government, led by Mayor Francis Zamora, started pertussis vaccinations on Monday for children aged 0-23 months.

Residents and barangay officials were also given basic pointers on the importance of routine immunization against pertussis, which is provided for free at local health centers and stations.

Zamora called on parents to have their children vaccinated. — With Christian Oineza

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