COVID-19 omicron subvariant “Arcturus” XB.1.16 is found to be more contagious than other COVID variants

According to the Department of Health, COVID-19 omicron subvariant “Arcturus” XB.1.16 could evade immunity and is found to be more contagious than other COVID variants. The World Health Organization also labeled the variant as a “variant of interest,” which means it’s under close observation. 

 

According to the World Health Organization, one of the most universally recognized methods to help prevent the transmission of diseases is through practicing good hygiene, particularly regular handwashing. Proper handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds can eliminate various pathogens, including viruses and bacteria, from our hands.

 

Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines, the multinational consumer goods company with a diverse range of superior health care, home care, beauty, and grooming products, through its partnership with the Manila Water Foundation (MWF) and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) donated Safeguard products to 12 public hospitals in Metro Manila. 

The donation is part of the Maging Ligtas, Mag-#SAFEWASH program which aims to raise awareness of the importance of sanitation and the healthy habits of proper toothbrushing and proper hand washing. 

 

The P&G Safeguard hygiene products will be used in the hospital washrooms and hand washing areas of the hospital compound. The donated products will also protect the front liners: nurses, hospital staff, and doctors who deliver critical health care services. The recipients of the P&G hygiene products are Antipolo City Hospital – System Annex 3, Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center in Marikina, East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City and Mandaluyong City Medical Center, Ospital ng Makati, The Pasig City General Hospital, Pedro Gil Lying-in Center in Manila, Philippine Blood Center in Quezon City, Philippine General Hospital, San Juan Medical Center, Sta. Ana Hospital – Manila, and the Taguig Pateros District Hospital.

Philippine General Hospital representative Niña Zabal said the donation will be a big help to the PGH community, especially the patient and health workers who are most in need of protection amidst the increase of the positivity rate of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. 

 

P&G is a consistent nation-building partner of the Philippines through its business, investments, and superior products that promote health and hygiene. The Company’s partnership with MWF has helped educate underserved Filipino communities on the importance of hand hygiene to our overall health. Most recently, P&G in partnership with MWF donated Safeguard Handsoaps to LRT2 commuters. 

Shopee partners with the Department of Health for the Bakunahang Bayan: PinasLakas Special Vaccination Days campaign

In line with its continuous commitment to help every Filipino increase their protection against COVID-19, Shopee has partnered with the Department of Health (DOH) for the Bakunahang Bayan: PinasLakas Special Vaccination Days campaign from September 26-30, to facilitate the rapid mobilization of COVID-19 vaccination among all eligible populations. 

 

As part of the campaign, a dedicated page will be accessible in-app to educate users on the benefits and importance of vaccination from September 26 to 30, 2022. Local government units (LGUs) across the country are likewise encouraged to include vaccination sites such as schools, malls, plazas, and places of worship where Filipinos can conveniently walk-in to get their COVID-19 booster shot on special vaccination days.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, shared, “It is a great privilege for us to partner with the DOH once again. Through this partnership, we aim to leverage our platform to provide Filipinos with access to accurate and important information about booster shots and COVID-19 vaccination. Through proper education and collaboration, we can work together to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.”

 

This campaign is one of the multiple initiatives that Shopee has launched to support Filipinos in their pre to post vaccination journey. In 2021, Shopee launched the Resbakuna Vaccine Education Campaign, also in partnership with the DOH; the Fully Vaxxed package which incentivized users to complete their vaccination doses; and Vaccination Center Support, which provided food, health essentials, and air coolers to chosen vaccination centers in Makati, Taguig, and Quezon City.

 

Assistant Secretary Beverly Lorraine Ho, OIC-Undersecretary of the Department of Health shared “Every Filipino plays a vital role in achieving the wall of immunity and protecting every single member of our community, especially the most vulnerable. We are grateful to be partnering with Shopee once more to maximize their platform in effectively reaching, engaging, and educating even more Filipinos on the importance of getting their COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses.”

 

With the  aim of boosting 50 percent of the general population and fully vaccinating 90 percent of the target senior citizens, the Bakunahang Bayan: PinasLakas Special Vaccination Days campaign is expected to educate Filipinos of the benefits the COVID-19 vaccines provide. Through these initiatives, the DOH hopes to encourage even more of our kababayans to receive their booster shots, most especially our senior citizens and the vulnerable population. 

 

From September 26-30, users can learn more about Bakunahang Bayan: PinasLakas Special Vaccination Days through the dedicated in-app page on the Shopee app.

 

Shopee partners with the Department of Health to educate Filipinos on the importance and benefits of vaccination

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, partners with the Department of Health (DOH) to promote education about COVID-19 vaccines through in-app and social media initiatives. As the Philippines aims to vaccinate 70% of its population within three to five years, this partnership between Shopee and DOH augments the concerted effort of the private sector and local government units to encourage Filipinos to get vaccinated and protect themselves and their loved ones against COVID-19.  

 

While the local government rolls out COVID-19 vaccination programs, the vaccine hesitancy rate among Filipinos continues to increase, going from 47% in January 2021 to 61% by the end of the first quarter.^[1] They remain resistant to the vaccine due to three key  reasons: concerns about potential side effects, uncertainty about efficacy, and skepticism.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Shopee is honored to partner with the Department of Health to educate Filipinos on the importance and benefits of vaccination. Through our collaboration with DOH, we can provide the community with accurate and science-backed vaccine information. With proper education, we aim to raise the public’s awareness and hopefully encourage more people to get vaccinated.”

 

Beverly C. Ho, MD, MPH, Director IV, at Health Promotion Bureau DOH, said, “This partnership symbolizes what we, in the Health Promotion Bureau, want to do—meet people where they are and make living healthy easy. That's why we are thankful to use Shopee’s platform, one that effectively reaches and engages millions of Filipinos, to make RESBAKUNA reach a wider audience. The immense potential this partnership holds, not only in increasing vaccine confidence but in improving overall health literacy among Filipinos, truly excites us.”

 

Starting this month until August, users can learn more about vaccines’ safety and effectiveness from DOH and World Health Organization representatives. On June 23, 9:00 PM, users can watch a discussion on “Fake vs Fact on COVID-19 Vaccine Safety and Efficacy” on Shopee Live. Shopee will post helpful information about the vaccines on its official social media pages. A separate microsite will also be available on the Shopee app. 

 

Visit https://shopee.ph/m/resbakuna-kasangga-ng-bida to stay updated on Shopee’s initiatives against COVID-19. 

 

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play. 

 

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^[1] Pulse Asia

Life after COVID-19: Stories of Survival

As of April 7, the Department of Health reported 414 new cases of the novel coronavirus disease in the country, raising the total number to 3,660. The Philippines now has 163 fatalities, and 73 recoveries. But while the number of deaths outnumber recoveries, most people who contract the virus go on to get better. That’s because 80% of people who contract the coronavirus will only experience relatively mild symptoms, or even no symptoms at all.

While most will recover from contracting COVID-19, the peculiar nature of recovery is it requires isolation. And patients, in addition to being sick, will oftentimes also experience great anxiety and afraid. According to the members of Public Health Communications Advisory Network (PHCAN), COVID-positive patients should be shown kindness and compassion, and not discrimination and fear.

As a follow up to their first FB Live session last April 4, PHCAN will be holding another Live session this Saturday, April 11 at 2PM, with Dr. Iris Isip-Tan together with COVID-19 survivors to discuss recovery, coping, and moving forward during this very challenging time. Follow the official PH CAN Facebook page for more updates and tune in to hear the stories of recovered COVID-19 patients.

Philippine General Hospital, UP National Institutes of Health and Philippine Society of Orphan Disorders partner for #CareforRare disease campaign

Join the Nurture Run: Keeping It Real on Breastfeeding Awareness

Did you know that colostrum in breast milk, which is yellowish and creamy in color, is high in protein, fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and immunoglobulins.  These are antibodies that pass from the mother to the baby and provide passive immunity for the baby, and protects the baby from a wide variety of bacterial and viral illnesses. With that, Breastmilk is still best for babies, in keeping with the thrust to promote, support and protect the rights of the breastfeeding mother and child. Beauty, Brains and Breastfeeding is organizing the Nurture Run, one of the biggest breastfeeding awareness initiatives in the country to date.

Ms. Iza Abeja, Executive Director of Beauty, Brains and Breastfeeding, shares that proceeds of the Nurture Run will go to mobilizing skilled counselors, sustaining mommy groups and organizing breastfeeding awareness activities as well as supporting Milk Banks through Milk Letting Days.

Ms. Iza Abeja (Beauty, Brains and Breastfeeding Executive Director)

Join the “Nurture Run: Awareness for breastfeeding during Emergency and in the workplace” — on April 13, 2014 at Quezon Memorial Circle, to promote, support and protect the rights of the breastfeeding mother and child. It covers 3km and 5km  options with race kits costing PHP 450.00 inclusive of the race bib and Nurture Run Shirt. The event is co-presented by UNICEF, International Labour Organization (ILO), National Nutrition Cluster group for Haiyan/Yolanda and  Department of Health (DOH) in coordination with venue-host the Quezon City Government.

No Hope Lost: Get Your Child Vaccinated

A mother’s love to her child, as everyone knows, is of deep devotion and of great sacrifice. It is endless, unselfish and enduring. She guides, nourishes and protects her child to the best of her ability.

To lose a child is the most heartbreaking experience a mother can ever have. But having a mother whose care is unconditional; she won’t let this happen at all. To her last breath, she will do anything to save her child, especially from death and disease.

Parents and society in general will do anything to prevent the loss of their children and thus a campaign called “No Hope Lost” has been launched. It is an awareness campaign on the heavy burden of pneumonia and diarrhea as the top leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the Philippines, specifically among children 5 years old and below, and if left unchecked can potentially lead to devastating consequences.

PNEUMONIA AND DIARRHEA: The top two leading causes of death among Filipino children less than 5 years of age.

PNEUMONIA 
Pneumonia is the single greatest cause of death in children worldwide. In fact, pneumonia is the leading cause of illness and death among Filipino children less than 5 years old. National statistics show an estimated 37 Filipino children die of pneumonia every day.1

Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung which affects primarily the microscopic air sacs known as alveoli. The typical symptoms of pneumonia include a cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing.
Pneumococcal disease is an infection caused by the bacterium S. pneumoniae also known as pneumococcus which can result to life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia. It can also result to Acute Otitis Media (AOM) which is an ear infection, a common and highly prevalent disease. It also includes severe diseases such as meningitis, complicated pneumonia, and sepsis (blood poisoning), which occur when the pneumococcus “invades” the blood. The invasive forms of the pneumococcal disease are a category called Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD).

DIARRHEA 
Globally, diarrhea is the second leading killer of children under 5 years of age, accounting for 1.4 million child deaths annually. Rotavirus Gastroenteritis (RVGE) is the common cause of diarrhea and severe dehydration in young children. It is also the leading reason of diarrheal hospitalizations and deaths among children. It is most severe and frequent in infants aged 3-24 months.

Rotavirus infects virtually every child within the first 5 years of life, irrespective of race or socio- economic status.

That is why it is called a “democratic virus.” In the Philippines, diarrhea is the second leading cause of child mortality accounting for almost 5,000 deaths yearly, translating to more than 13 Filipino children dying due to diarrhea every day.

Dr. Sally Gatchalian Dept Exec Director Phil Foundation for Vaccine and Pres Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Phil 2

Prevention is KEY
But no child has to die because of pneumonia or rotavirus diseases, especially since these are both highly preventable. Early protection is the key to reduce disease burden.

Among the ways to get your child protected aside from breastfeeding, hand washing, preventing air pollution, and adequate nutrition, is through vaccination.

“It’s the best time to raise awareness on pneumonia and diarrhea prevention. These diseases should not cause unnecessary suffering to young children,” says Dr. Sally Gatchalian, Philippine Foundation for Vaccination Director. “Sometimes it’s just that parents don’t know enough about these diseases, and they don’t know that there are actually vaccines for them.”

In 2012, the Philippine government has already acknowledged this burden and addressed it by introducing Rotavirus Vaccine (RV) in the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) where 700,000 Filipino children aged 6 weeks up to 6 months of age were given free rotavirus vaccines.

In 2013, the Department of Health (DOH) leveled up the fight against the top killer of Filipino children by including another novel vaccine called Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) in the EPI.

This combined effort to protect Filipino children against pneumonia and diarrhea contributes to the achievement of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 of reducing infant and child mortality by 2/3 by 2015. RV and PCV are novel vaccines introduced by the DOH in the last 5 years and the Philippines is the first country in the ASEAN region to introduce both vaccines in the EPI.

GSK’S SUPPORT IN THIS CRUSADE
As one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, GSK continues to be a committed partner of both private healthcare practitioners and the government in the fight against childhood diseases, death and suffering around the world by offering health solutions for the reduction of overall diseases.
The “No Hope Lost” campaign from GlaxoSmithKline, which embodies the need for immediate action to get children vaccinated against pneumonia and diarrhea, will soon be launched through radio ads, print notices, flyers, and posters.

“With the help of our dear pediatricians, and the Department of Health, we are committed to the reduction of pneumonia and diarrhea cases nationwide by supplying high quality vaccines. These diseases account for an alarming almost 50 mortalities per day in the Philippines. GSK is here to support the Filipino medical community and the government’s drive to make health services accessible to everyone,” added Philip Cruz, GSK Medical Director.

Ask your pediatrician about preventive measures against pneumococcal and rotavirus diseases.

Camille Prats on Moving On, and Being Prepared for Life’s Emergencies

Camille Prats on moving on, and being prepared for life’s emergencies

For a lot of her fans, Camille Prats will always be Sara, Ang Munting Prinsesa. She grew up in front of our TV screens and we witnessed her turn from a cute little girl, a vivacious teenager, to one of our versatile young actresses.

Success came quite early for Camille, and so did love, but unfortunately Camille also had to endure the pain of losing her husband at a young age.

Camille Prats married her then boyfriend Anthony Linsangan in  civil rites on January 5, 2008. After 2 years, a church wedding followed on March 5, 2010. They dreamt of having 3 to 4 kids. Their union blessed them with 1 baby boy Nathaniel Caesar.

On June of 2010 Anthony felt a lymph node on his left ear, he underwent CT Scan and was ruled out of cancer and took antibiotics. On September 2010, after experiencing pain, he again underwent CT Scan and a biopsy was performed and this time around he was diagnosed of Stage 4 Nasopharyngeal cancer.

He underwent 30 sessions of radiation and chemotherapy every week for 6 weeks. Anthony stopped working due to medication and and body malaise, and Camille had no choice but to lessen her showbiz commitments to take care of her husband. He was advised on PET Scan and his nasopharyngeal cancer metastasized to bone and liver cancer. He was too tired to move on , cannot eat anymore, had patches for pain reliever, and became so weak .

On June 2011 his blood pressure was dropping down. August of 2011, the hospital staff made Camille signed a waiver. On the same year September 2011 Anthony Linsangan just 30-years-old passed away .

Camille, shared the story in front of media guests at a recent gathering sponsored by AXA at Ascott Makati Hotel.

She said  Anthony was too young to die, and did not have an inkling that it was cancer then, when Anthony had colds, they self medicated themselves, when Anthony had a fever, he would took Paracetamol and antibiotics. They never had a proper check up to the doctor. She thought it may be due to the food he ate or because he lacked exercise and advised the audience  to consult their doctors instead of relying on self medications.

It was a good thing that Anthony’s family helped them with the financial needs within a year of medication, unlike a lot of Filipinos who face the same predicament unprepared.

AXA urges financial preparedness for critical illnesses, other medical emergencies

According to statistics from the Department of Health (DOH), non-communicable diseases (NCDs) or lifestyle diseases such as heart attack or heart failure, stroke, and cancer are the top 3 leading causes of death among Filipinos.

Digging deeper into the numbers, it is reported that more than 276 Filipinos die of heart disease on a daily basis. Moreover, 9 people are diagnosed with cancer every hour, and 142 Filipinos die from cancer every day. At least one Filipino suffers from stroke every 9 minutes; for those who survive, they have a 75% chance of becoming permanently disabled.

While there may be increasing public awareness to preventing these diseases through diet and exercise, little is done to raise awareness for Filipinos to prepare financially for the impact of having any of these lifestyle diseases.

The cost for heart by-pass surgery, chemotherapy, or brain surgery ranges from P500,000 to as much as P1,000,000, an amount that most regular health plans cannot cover. Moreover, it is estimated that medical costs are expected to double in the next 10 years — a rate much higher than economic inflation.

That is why AXA Philippines, one of the country’s largest and fastest growing life insurance companies, is helping Filipinos prepare for the threat of future major medical emergencies by launching three (3) new products that provide adequate coverage to Filipinos when they face a critical illness.

“We want to give customers what they need,” says Rien Hermans,   President and CEO of AXA Philippines. “With the health trends in the Philippines and in most countries today, the risk of developing a critical illness is now higher than ever. Therefore, people should be protecting themselves from the financial impact of being diagnosed with a critical illness.”

“Each of our three products are individually designed to address the needs, said Amor Balagtas, Chief Marketing Officer of AXA Philippines.

Health Exentials is a simple, all-in-one health and protection plan that gives the greatest value at an affordable price. For as low as P59/day, customers can get P5.5 million worth of comprehensive benefits, which include a critical conditions benefit, total & permanent disability benefit, daily hospitalization income benefit, a one-time surgical benefit, and a maturity cash benefit. Health Exentials premiums can be as low as only P1,140 a month or P39/day.

Health Max provides maximum lifetime coverage as it gives medical benefits until age 100. It also has the widest coverage of illnesses in the market today, covering 56 major medical conditions and 18 minor illnesses. Early stage cancer diagnosis and angioplasty, not normally covered by other health plans, are included in Health Max. It also has higher medical benefits of up to P10 million, as well as a special Advanced Health Fund that starts at age 70, which can be used for various medicines and treatments most common at that age.

SME ProteXion caters to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with at least 10 employees. It offers health and protection packages-in-one with various benefit options to choose from such as critical care coverage, daily hospitalization income, life insurance coverage and death and disablement coverage. This simple and straightforward product has flexible payment options to suit your business budget.

“What we are emphasizing is the importance of adequate financial preparedness,” says Hermans. “Critical illnesses have significant physical and financial impacts, and we want Filipinos to understand that there are products available that will enable them to financially secure their health-related needs, and they can do so while they are still at their prime.”

To learn more about AXA Philippines’ products and services, visit www.axa.com.ph or www.facebook.com/AXA.Philippines. You may also call their customer hotline (02) 5815-AXA (292) or (02) 3231-AXA (292).