ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 12 Jan) The Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association of the Philippines launches its text campaign against the dreaded bird flu. The campaign aims to disseminate information and increase the public’s awareness on bird flu, what one can do to prevent the spread of the lethal virus and reduce the chance of catching the killer virus.
Bird flu is an infection caused by the bird flu virus. The flu viruses occur naturally among birds and are very contagious among birds. Several cases have occurred since 1997. No longer is bird flu relegated to birds alone, as the virus has strengthened and mutated resulting into a strain known as H5N1.
The bird flu is especially dangerous because our immune systems do not have antibodies to handle something that used to be relegated to animals. The risks to humans being remain so long as H5N1 continues in the domestic poultry. Bird flu usually precedes an influenza epidemic.
“Being prepared is half the battle”, says Dr. Evelyn Lagamayo, president of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID). “Although nobody has been reported yet of any death caused by the avian flu virus here in the Philippines, we need to teach the Filipinos that taking simple steps like washing their hands can have a big impact on the battle against the bird flu”, explained Dr. Lagamayo.
“PHAP has taken this initiative because the threat of a pandemic is very real. It is just a question of ‘when?’, says Dr. Lagamayo. According to the Department of Health (DOH), it is estimated that in a country with an 84 million population, more than 42 million Filipinos can get infected and around 4.2 million could die from the bird flu assuming that there is no geographical barrier and no antiviral medicines available.
Health experts say that cleaning the hands could be the key to avoiding the bird flu. The most important thing that can be done to prevent flu is the practice of good handwashing skills. In order to be effective, hands should be washed with soap from 20 to 25 seconds.
According to Dr. Lagamayo, “People think that viruses fly on air then enter the mouth or nose but little do they know that most viruses hitchhike. The droplets containing the bird flu virus travel through the air and often land on items people touch frequently, like doorknobs, desks or telephones.”
Other personal protective measures could be implemented such as, exercising and getting enough sleep to bolster the immune system, vaccinating with recommended influenza vaccine to avoid simultaneous infection by the human and bird influenza, maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy food and avoiding smoking, staying away from birds as they may harbor the virus, and avoiding unnecessary travel.
The fear is that bird flu and the human influenza could interact and exchange genes giving rise to a new virus wherein nobody has a natural immunity. The World Health Organization has documented more than 100 human cases and more than 50 human deaths caused bird flu since January 2004. So far, most human cases appear to have been from bird-to-human transmission only.
PHAP seeks the public and the private sectors to join and support their advocacy program against bird flu. “Everybody needs to be mindful of this potentially devastating disease”, added Dr. Lagamayo. “Thus, everybody needs to do their share and help protect the country from bird flu.”
This health information is brought to you by PHAP, an association that represents the country’s main providers of healthcare products and services. Members include the country’s leading companies engaged in research and development, manufacturing, selling and distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Membership today totals 70 local and international companies.
About EON: One of the leading communications and stakeholder relations firms in the Philippines, EON’s mission reflects the strategic nature of its services. Its strength as an institution is anchored on the depth of experience of its people, its wide cross-sectoral network, and the altruistic approach to public relations practice. EON helps actualize effective and sustaining relationships among stakeholders and promotes management processes that result to mutually beneficial outcomes to clients and their stakeholders. Backed by its core team of 28 professionals, EON deploys powerful and unique combinations of highly specialized stakeholder relations and public affairs tools, responsive organizational development and management interventions, methodical research strategies, creative corporate and healthcare strategies, and cutting edge events management services. For more information, please visit www.eon.com.ph. (Chariza T. Medina-Salgado)
Bird flu is an infection caused by the bird flu virus. The flu viruses occur naturally among birds and are very contagious among birds. Several cases have occurred since 1997. No longer is bird flu relegated to birds alone, as the virus has strengthened and mutated resulting into a strain known as H5N1.
The bird flu is especially dangerous because our immune systems do not have antibodies to handle something that used to be relegated to animals. The risks to humans being remain so long as H5N1 continues in the domestic poultry. Bird flu usually precedes an influenza epidemic.
“Being prepared is half the battle”, says Dr. Evelyn Lagamayo, president of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (PSMID). “Although nobody has been reported yet of any death caused by the avian flu virus here in the Philippines, we need to teach the Filipinos that taking simple steps like washing their hands can have a big impact on the battle against the bird flu”, explained Dr. Lagamayo.
“PHAP has taken this initiative because the threat of a pandemic is very real. It is just a question of ‘when?’, says Dr. Lagamayo. According to the Department of Health (DOH), it is estimated that in a country with an 84 million population, more than 42 million Filipinos can get infected and around 4.2 million could die from the bird flu assuming that there is no geographical barrier and no antiviral medicines available.
Health experts say that cleaning the hands could be the key to avoiding the bird flu. The most important thing that can be done to prevent flu is the practice of good handwashing skills. In order to be effective, hands should be washed with soap from 20 to 25 seconds.
According to Dr. Lagamayo, “People think that viruses fly on air then enter the mouth or nose but little do they know that most viruses hitchhike. The droplets containing the bird flu virus travel through the air and often land on items people touch frequently, like doorknobs, desks or telephones.”
Other personal protective measures could be implemented such as, exercising and getting enough sleep to bolster the immune system, vaccinating with recommended influenza vaccine to avoid simultaneous infection by the human and bird influenza, maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy food and avoiding smoking, staying away from birds as they may harbor the virus, and avoiding unnecessary travel.
The fear is that bird flu and the human influenza could interact and exchange genes giving rise to a new virus wherein nobody has a natural immunity. The World Health Organization has documented more than 100 human cases and more than 50 human deaths caused bird flu since January 2004. So far, most human cases appear to have been from bird-to-human transmission only.
PHAP seeks the public and the private sectors to join and support their advocacy program against bird flu. “Everybody needs to be mindful of this potentially devastating disease”, added Dr. Lagamayo. “Thus, everybody needs to do their share and help protect the country from bird flu.”
This health information is brought to you by PHAP, an association that represents the country’s main providers of healthcare products and services. Members include the country’s leading companies engaged in research and development, manufacturing, selling and distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Membership today totals 70 local and international companies.
About EON: One of the leading communications and stakeholder relations firms in the Philippines, EON’s mission reflects the strategic nature of its services. Its strength as an institution is anchored on the depth of experience of its people, its wide cross-sectoral network, and the altruistic approach to public relations practice. EON helps actualize effective and sustaining relationships among stakeholders and promotes management processes that result to mutually beneficial outcomes to clients and their stakeholders. Backed by its core team of 28 professionals, EON deploys powerful and unique combinations of highly specialized stakeholder relations and public affairs tools, responsive organizational development and management interventions, methodical research strategies, creative corporate and healthcare strategies, and cutting edge events management services. For more information, please visit www.eon.com.ph. (Chariza T. Medina-Salgado)
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