The number of Filipino children with measles and the death toll are both escalating.
As a mother of a now 8-month-old baby, I could not help but be anxious at the resurgence of measles. I empathize with other mothers who have lost their children to measles and its complications, such as bronchopneumonia.
No parent should ever bury their child, they said, especially because of a preventable, once eradicated disease such as measles.
Years before motherhood, I was a pediatric nurse. Long before this sleep-deprived but fulfilled phase of motherhood, I cared for children gasping for air, hoping for another chance in life. I was a witness to the crucial reality that parents’ decisions and choices can affect their children’s lives.
Medical experts have pointed to “fake news” or misinformation, particularly about Dengvaxia, as one of the reasons why vaccination rates have dwindled in the past year.
Measles is not a harmless disease, and it does not respond to any antivirals. There is no better alternative than to get your children vaccinated against measles.
If you need more information about the MMR vaccine, consult a doctor and not “Dr. Google.”
JESSICA VIRNNA Q. ANTIPOLO, jessicaantipolo@gmail.com