Get Vaccinated Against Dengue at Watsons

4:02 PM
I never thought for a moment that I would somehow be involved to Dengue until my kids were infected with it. Days before the birthday of my daughter, I woke up to a sobbing girl beside me, her body was burning with high fever. I remember her telling me about the severe aching body she was feeling with a throbbing headache and sore throat, too.
Started my usual fever ritual, ginger tea with paracetamol in tow just to make sure. But I sent her to the Emergency Room immediately so they can check her CBC and Platelet count. Thinking the fever would go just away in less than a day, the horror began. All her laboratory tests and her Pediatrician confirmed that she had Dengue.

Back then there was no cure or drug in the management and control of dengue fever. You only need to rely on early diagnosis and a combination of measures will and can prevent dengue death.

Fortunately, Watsons, the leading health and beauty chain in the Philippines, finally announced the availability of dengue vaccination (Dengvaxia) in select Watsons stores nationwide.
The dengue vaccination was launched in the country by the Department of Health (DOH) together with the Department of Education (DepEd), and later on was made available in medical clinics last year. Now, Watsons is the first retailer to offer it in the Philippine market.
“As part of our commitment to improve the lives and health of Filipinos by making health care more accessible to them, we decided to offer dengue vaccination in our select stores nationwide. Dengue is a recurring epidemic in the country, that’s why we recognize the importance of protecting Filipinos against this deadly disease through the vaccination”, says Watsons Trading Health Director, Mr. Danilo Chiong.

Dengue is a recurrent epidemic in the country with more than 200,000 cases reported in 2016 and did you know that the Philippines is ranked 7 in the world in terms of incidences of Dengue?
Considered to be one of the leading causes of deaths here in the country.


Dengvaxia
The first vaccine against dengue, Dengvaxia, was created by leading multinational pharmaceutical company and an expert in the development of vaccinations, Sanofi Pasteur. 
This Dengue vaccine comes from a live Dengue virus but attenuated and activated. For you to get an antibody response, you need the virus itself to give you a good immune response. Sort of mimicking the infection but in the form of a vaccine. 
A Tetravalent meaning it contains the strains of all 4 serotypes of Dengue. Meaning you will be protected from the virus. The reason why Sanofi took 20 years to really put up a vaccine, they had undergone extensive research  has been thoroughly tested, based on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Studies of the vaccine included more than 41,000 people and were carried out in 15 countries including the Philippines. The results were fully reviewed by a committee of independent experts and has also been recommended by WHO. 

In the Philippines, the DOH together with DepEd launched the much-awaited administration of the dengue vaccine through school-based immunization approach. This aims to vaccinate about one million Grade 4 pupils aged 9 years old and above enrolled in public schools in several regions of the country.


Get Vaccinated Against Dengue at Watsons
The Dengue vaccination is the latest addition to the vaccines offered by Watsons. 
It will cost P4000 per dose or P12000 for all 3 doses, which is a reasonable price given the high incidence of dengue and high cost of treatment in the Philippines.
The dengue vaccination, to be taken in three doses at 0 - 6 - 12 months interval, can protect the individual from all four strains of the dengue virus. This can be administered to people aged 9 to 45 years old. To get the maximum benefit of the vaccine, make sure to get all 3 shots. 

The first scheduled dengue vaccination will be on :
  • April 30, 2017 (1st dose), October 29, 2017 (2nd dose) and April 29, 2018 (3rd dose)
  • Second scheduled dengue vacation will be on May 14, 2017 (1st dose), November 12, 2017 (2nd dose), May 13, 2018 (3rd dose)
ADVERSE EVENTS:
Systemic reactions will be headache, malaise, Myalgia, while the local reaction would be pain only in injection site.
Who CANNOT get the vaccine: 
  • Those individuals with a history of severe allergic reaction to any component of the dengue vaccine
  • With congenital acquired immune deficiency
  • With symptomatic/asymptomatic HIV infection
  • Pregnant/Breastfeeding women
  • Should be postponed in individuals with moderate to severe febrile or acute disease
Watsons have partnered with BDO and BPI so cardholders can avail 3 months installment at zero interest. So more or less you only get to pay 1000 per shot.  
Watsons also offer Cervical Cancer, Flu and Pneumonia vaccination at scheduled intervals throughout the year.
They will have a doctor in store during vaccination dates to administer the vaccination and will be available in more than 100 stores nationwide.

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