MANILA, Philippines — Senators warned yesterday against proposals for the government to allow the use of the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine to help contain the dengue outbreaks in many parts of the country. Senate President Vicente Sotto III said questions on the efficacy of Dengvaxia –manufactured and tested in the Philippines by the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Pasteur – remain unresolved. “If it was not effective before, how can it be effective now?” Sotto said. “It’s not that I’m not amenable, we all want protection from or cure for dengue, but there is uncertainty in the product.” For him, the government must await the recommendations on the use of Dengvaxia before making any decision. Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Blue Ribbon committee that investigated the Dengvaxia controversy in the 17th Congress, said releasing the vaccine to the market for use would be a “catastrophic step in the wrong … [Read more...] about Senators oppose use of Dengvaxia
Food safety declaration
Rise in dengue, measles cases underline value of vaccines
Rise in dengue, measles cases underline value of vaccines MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is facing two public health crises in 2019—a simmering measles outbreak and the soaring number of dengue cases. Measles has long been prevented by vaccination while the vaccine against dengue has been mired in controversy. There have been at least 34,950 measles cases—and 477 deaths from the disease—since the beginning of the year. The risk of the outbreak has been set to moderate at the national level due to a decreasing number of newly reported case but the outbreak cannot be declared over until the Health department reaches its target vaccination coverage of 95%. And while health workers are containing the highly contagious disease, they are also fighting the war against the deadly dengue. Rise in dengue cases In mid-July, the Department of Health declared a national dengue alert after five regions—CALABARZON, Bicol … [Read more...] about Rise in dengue, measles cases underline value of vaccines
8 dead in batanes quakes
MANILA, Philippines — Two strong earthquakes hours apart struck sparsely populated islands in Batanes province in northern Philippines early yesterday, killing at least eight people, injuring about 60 and damaging ancestral houses famous among tourists. The quakes collapsed homes of stone and wood and roused residents from sleep, said Roldan Esdicul, who heads the Batanes provincial disaster-response office. Footage showed people clearing boulder-size stone bricks to pull out one body from the rubble. “Our bed and everything were swaying from side to side like a hammock,” Esdicul told AP by cellphone from Basco town, the provincial capital. “We all ran out to safety.” On hard-hit Itbayat island, school teacher Agnes Salengua-Nico said she and her husband woke up horrified, with the ground shaking and a cabinet crashing to the floor. Their house withstood the shaking but others in the neighborhood crumbled, pinning residents inside, she said. … [Read more...] about 8 dead in batanes quakes
Nearly 150 million people sweltering through deadly US heat wave
WASHINGTON -- The United States was sweating through a weekend of dangerously hot weather, with major cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington experiencing temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). An oppressive heat wave stretching from the Midwestern plains to the Atlantic coast had nearly 150 million people struggling to stay cool amid scorching temperatures. Heat index values -- combining the effect of heat and humidity -- could reach 110 to 115 degrees, particularly in the east, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. It warned that "dangerously high temperatures and humidity could quickly cause heat stress or heat stroke if precautions are not taken." The heat was expected to continue through late Sunday as a high-pressure system off the Atlantic coast ushered in steamy, subtropical air. People were being urged to stay hydrated, watch out for the sick and the elderly, stay inside as much as possible and not leave children or animals in … [Read more...] about Nearly 150 million people sweltering through deadly US heat wave
Eat dirt, live healthier: the paradox of super cleanliness
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Fri., May 3, 2019 It’s a little hard to remember now, but there was a time when peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were a staple of school lunch bags, not cause to dial 911. That was back when the student with asthma that everyone worried about in gym class might well have been the only kid in school with asthma. Playground equipment was designed for fun, not just safety, kids played in the dirt with their grubby siblings and even grubbier dog, and office buildings and malls weren’t littered with vats of antibacterial hand-sanitizing gel. Now, by and large, kids are kept clean and safe, our houses are sparking with special products for every room, and hygiene-related marketing urges us to sanitize anything and everything we can. Along with all that, though, it’s now estimated that one Canadian in 13 is allergic to at least one type of food. That’s about two children in every classroom. Other types of allergies are also rising, along with autoimmune … [Read more...] about Eat dirt, live healthier: the paradox of super cleanliness