Which is more effective?

Egay Uy .

THE Department of Health has declared a national dengue epidemic.  This was headlined in a national daily.  This, after 146,062 dengue cases have been recorded as of July 20 this year.  The DOH said it is 98-percent higher than the dengue cases recorded in the same period last year. And worse, these numbers resulted in 622 recorded deaths.

Health Secretary Duque said the situation “is going to be staggering” adding that it is a compelling reason to declare a national dengue epidemic, the national daily reported. Epidemic means that there is a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular time, according to Mr. Google.

Secretary Duque was also reported as urging the public to cooperate in the conduct of preventive measures amid the “absence of medicine and vaccine.”  Did the government really lack medicines and vaccines that could have prevented the epidemic?

Surely, the epidemic could have been avoided. If not for the evil-designed vaccine scare, as part of what appears to be a hate campaign, the 622 deaths could have been avoided and the epidemic declaration may not have been necessary at all. Of course, the dengue cases in only six months would not have reached that staggering level of 146,062.

From Jan. 1 to Aug. 3, 2019, a local daily reported that Northern Mindanao already logged some 60 deaths due to dengue. That’s a staggering 10 percent of the deaths nationwide. Dengue cases in the region reportedly reached 15,095 or 62 percent higher compared to last year’s.

A columnist recently wrote, “We need a vaccine against stupidity” and added, “Persida Acosta’s antics may have been entertaining at one point, but spreading that foolishness among those who need vaccines is just immoral.”  Indeed, Acosta, the head of the Public Attorney’s Office, acted like she was a frustrated physician to pin down people who knew better than her.

Well, what can we expect? Her performance during the interview by the Judicial and Bar Council when she applied for a post in the Supreme Court could speak well of what her head contains.

It is ironic, though, that Health Secretary Duque was reported to have not recommended the use of Dengvaxia, the only vaccine available for the mosquito-based disease.

Will the four-o’clock habit protect the prospective victims of dengue mosquitoes, or will Dengvaxia be more effective?

(Egay Uy is a lawyer. He chairs the City’s Regulatory and Complaint Board, co-chairs with the city mayor the City Price Coordinating Council, and chairs the city’s Joint Inspection Team.  He retired as a vice president of Cepalco.)