Experts say curbing the spread of seasonal flu virus starts at home.

With this year’s flu season being accompanied by slowly rising COVID-19 cases, experts remind us that staving off the flu virus typically begins with common practices that families can do at home.

“It’s important to ensure that our personal spaces are free of transmissible diseases like the flu. Contrary to popular belief, the flu is caused by a virus different from the common cold so symptoms tend to last longer and are more severe,” says Dr. Gyneth Bibera, Country Medical Director of GSK Philippines. “Patients will experience the typical runny nose, coughing, headaches, fevers, and fatigue, but the severity can often lead to the inability to do daily tasks, the need for doctor consultations, or even hospitalizations,” she adds.

Here are five things you can do to prevent flu:

Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

Influenza viruses can survive outside the body and generally stay active longer on steel, plastic, and harder surfaces than on fabric and softer materials. They have been known to survive for 24-48 hrs on hard non-porous surfaces, and 8-12 hrs on cloth, paper, and tissues. Regularly disinfecting these surfaces with a household cleaner containing soap or detergent will help stop the spread of the virus, more so if someone is or has been recently infected at home. Focus on areas that are frequently touched, such as door handles, light switches, faucets, stair rails, or tables.

Toss your trash everyday.

Many communities have weekly or biweekly garbage collections, but it’s worth making a point to dispose of trash everyday. Keep a wastebasket outside of the home, in a garage, or by the front gate. This prevents contaminated items and germs that cause respiratory illness, like flu from lingering inside the home.

Launder your linens regularly.

Sheets, blankets, or pillowcases that are used daily may become infected by viruses. This is especially true if an infected member of the household recently used the linens. Changing and washing sheets on a weekly basis with hot water, can kill flu viruses that are present. This is because flu viruses are killed by heat above 75° C.

Practice good hygiene.

Personal hygiene is one of the best ways to prevent the flu. This includes washing hands frequently, particularly after coughing or sneezing, after using the bathroom, before and after handling food, or after coming in contact with someone sick. It also includes not sharing personal items such as pillows, towels, utensils, and the like. Of course, covering the mouth when coughing, taking regular showers, and other basic hygiene practices are also necessary.

Get your flu vaccines.

The World Health Organization recommends that flu shots be administered once every year, which is applicable for both adults and even children when they reach six months old. Getting annual flu vaccines significantly reduces the risk of contracting the flu virus.

Alongside practicing proper measures and being mindful of the environment to protect one’s home from the virus, having updated flu vaccines is the best way to keep oneself safe. “Although flu cases really tend to rise at this time of the year, each individual and communal effort within the household will do a lot to protect the health of the wider community and keep overall flu numbers down,” says Dr. Bibera. “We encourage all Filipinos to talk to their doctors and get their jabs done because it’s us and our own efforts that will help keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.”

Parents’ flu-proof guide to sending their kids back to face-to-face classes.

The resumption of face-to-face classes coinciding with flu season heightens the need for parents to stay on track of their children’s health and wellbeing. Increased exposure means that there must also be increased vigilance in the observance of public health and safety protocols.

"Parents are naturally on guard now that their kids are getting more face time. We’re dealing with dangerous illnesses such as COVID-19, Dengue, and Monkeypox, which happen to have flu-like symptoms," says Dr. Gyneth Lourdes Bibera, country medical director of GSK Philippines. “It’s important to remember that despite their similarities, these are all separate illnesses, caused by different viruses and having different treatments. This is why it is important to strengthen our immunity through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and eliminating the chances of catching communicable diseases by updating your vaccinations."

To prevent contracting the flu or any of the transmissible diseases, here are 3 important health guidelines to remember:

Be Flutected. GSK hosted a press briefing on flu-awareness 

to help parents keep children protected for face-to-face classes. 

The discussion was led by GSK Philippines' Country Medical Director, 

Dr. Gyneth Lourdes Bibera, and actress and lifestyle influencer, Dimples Romana.

1. Keep your child’s vaccines up to date.

Experts advise that vaccination is the best way to stay protected from the flu. Getting an annual flu shot will reduce the risk of illness, severity, and hospitalization among children while lowering their chances of developing any complications. Flu vaccinations can be administered to children starting at six months old. Depending on the child's age and the doctor's recommendation, immunizations may be given in one or two doses.

Annual vaccinations are also necessary because the flu virus constantly mutates. This means that new strains may be formed from year to year, necessitating new vaccines. When getting the flu vaccine around the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine, follow the national guidelines prescribed by the Department of Health (DOH), which is to take the flu vaccine 14 days before or after the COVID-19 vaccine.

2. Isolate at the onset of symptoms.

If your children start showing or complaining about any signs of flu or illness, they should stay home to avoid potentially infecting others or having their symptoms worsen. At the same time, check with their schools as to what the standard protocol is when a student is ill so that they don’t miss out on important activities for any of their classes.

3. Start healthy habits at home.

Following the right health and safety measures should always start at home, and parents must ensure that children learn these early on. Practicing good hygiene plays a huge role in the prevention of diseases like the flu. Instill in your children the practices of covering their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, washing their hands with soap and water, not touching their eyes, noses, and mouths, wearing masks, keeping a safe distance from other students or teachers, and disinfecting their personal spaces.

Besides this, other good habits they may also follow include getting enough sleep, being physically active, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating nutritious food. By setting these practices as the standard at home, children will be more likely to follow them when they go out for school or other activities.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic coinciding with flu season might raise alarm bells for parents who are now sending their kids to school but making sure to follow the proper ways to prevent sickness will go a long way in staying healthy.

"The health protocols we've been following the past two years must be standard practice by now," reminds Dr. Bibera. "Beyond that, we've seen the positive effects of vaccinations on disease severity. We implore all parents to get the annual flu vaccine for themselves and their kids, as this is still the best way to protect against the flu," she ends.

Makati City Provided with Unique Panasonic nanoeTM and nanoeTM X Technology for Use in Main Vaccination Site.

Panasonic, as part of its global campaign to spread advocacy for cleaner and fresher air for life, recently reached out to the local government of Makati City through a contribution in the form of nanoe^TM air purifiers, and nanoe^TM X generators, that have been verified to have inhibitory effects on the novel coronavirus*. The equipment set-up and turnover were done at the main vaccination site of the city located at the Makati Coliseum.

Panasonic Air-Conditioning Philippines CEO Masaru Toyota, Life Solutions Group Country Head Yosuke Tanaka, Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay, and the Head of Makati Incident Command Post Dr. Roland Unson, were present during the site visit.

It has always been the intention of Panasonic to provide cleaner and fresher air to improve the quality of life for everyone with the introduction of the nanoe^TM in 1997 and nanoe^TM X in 2016.

In 2009, with the help of an independent testing organization, Panasonic verified the effect of hydroxyl radicals contained in water against bird flu and new strains of influenza, and in 2012, in collaboration with an independent testing organization in Germany, again conducted virus clearance testing that showed effectiveness of the technology against highly resistant viruses and unknown viruses.**

Just last year, again using an independent testing organization, Texcell*** – France, further verified the inhibitory effect of Panasonic’s patented nanoe^TM X technology on the novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

 
The Makati City partnership is part of a bigger program of Panasonic in the Philippines to provide air purifying and anti-covid technology of nanoe^TM X in selected sites in the National Capital Region to protect medical front liners and Filipinos in vaccination areas and to make them and the public feel safer with the theme “Bring Back the Filipino Smile”.

Panasonic works hard to bring back the smiles of the unsung heroes of this pandemic, and the Filipino people, for them to feel safer, breathe easier, and be more secure to smile once again.

For more information on Panasonic and its patented technologies, please visit https://www.panasonic.com/ph/nanoe

Notes:

*: based on the Texcell, global contract research organization, verified the inhibitory effect of the nanoe™ X technology with the benefits of hydroxyl radicals on adhered novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) placed in 45L box. Over 99.99% of adhered novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) activity was inhibited within 2 hours. Note: This verification was designed to generate basic research data on the effects of nanoe™ X on the novel coronavirus in laboratory conditions different from those found in living spaces. It was not designed to evaluate product performance.

**: Main releases on verification cases - May 12, 2009：Positive effects of charged water particles on viruses, bacteria, and agricultural chemicals have been verified. - October 20, 2009： The new influenza virus inhibition effect of charged water particles has been verified. - February 20, 2012：Suppression effect of charged water particles on pet-related allergens, bacteria, fungi, and viruses have been verified. - January 16, 2014：Nano-sized electrostatic atomized water particles effectively break down PM2.5 components and inhibits growth of fungi attached to Yellow Sand

***: Texcell is a global contract research organization that specializes in viral testings, viral clearance, immunoprofiling and R&D or GMP cell banking, for your R&D, GClP, GLP and GMP projects. With more than 30 years of experience and roots within the Pasteur Institute in Paris, Texcell has a long-recognized expertise in viral testing with a broad range of protocols for the detection of adventitious agents. Texcell is the first spin-off of the Pasteur institute of Paris created in 1997.

 

Vaccinated! | My COVID Vaccine Experience.

I got vaccinated! After weeks and weeks of waiting, I finally got my first dose of the COVID vaccine!

Vaccinated! 06.26.2021

You've probably seen this photo on my Instagram or on my Facebook page (if you're following me, that is). It's been a little over a week since this happened; I actually waited for a few days before writing about my vaccine experience because I was looking out for the side effects. That being said, here's what transpired before, during, and after vaccination day.

A bit of a backstory first... 

We had a COVID scare sometime last April. Two of our neighbors from the same household tested positive, and although I did not have direct contact with them, I was a close contact of my next-door neighbor who had been exposed to them. Upon hearing the news that they tested positive, I became extremely frantic, broke down, cried, and prayed so hard that neither Yue and I got the virus Yue and I immediately went on self-quarantine and spent the next 14 days completely locked up inside our home, not even daring to set foot outside the door.

We were hoping that we would be swabbed (RT-PCR test), but no one from the City Health Office came to our place because we weren't declared as close contacts despite possible exposure and living next-door to two COVID patients. Thankfully, we were able to finish our 14-day self quarantine without a hitch. No symptoms whatsoever. No colds, no cough, no fever, and definitely no loss of smell and taste. 

After that ordeal, I became more hellbent than ever in getting vaccinated. About a day or two after our quarantine ended, I immediately went to our barangay hall and submitted my vaccine registration form (this form was distributed house-to-house by our barangay officials a few days before our COVID scare incident) together with a copy of my government IDs (Philhealth, SSS, and TIN) and a 2x2 ID picture.

Our LGU's vaccine registration form.

Afterwards, I got in touch with doctor friends and relatives working in local hospitals on what I should do next. My Mum, who is a nurse in the UK, strongly advised me to get a blood work done before I get vaccinated because of my hypertension and asthma. I skipped this part, though, out of fear of catching the virus (most of the diagnostic laboratories here also offer rapid antigen testing, and I don't want to be exposed to anybody possibly carrying the virus). 

Thankfully, I was able to secure a medical certificate and an updated prescription from my pulmonologist with the help of my cousin who works as a nurse at the general hospital. Both are required for those under the A3 category aka 'Persons with Comorbidities'.

And so the waiting game began...

About a week or two after I have submitted my registration form, the vaccine rollouts began in my city. First to be vaccinated were the medical frontliners, barangay health workers, and other frontliners for the barangays and LGU (A1 category). Later on, they began vaccinating on the senior citizens (also known as the A2s), as well as those with comorbidities (A3). During these times, the vaccines that were being administered were either Sinovac or Astra Zeneca. 

I have to admit, at first, I wasn't too keen on getting either of these two vaccine brands for myself. Like most people who have heard of the news about blood clots related to Astra Zeneca, or the fact that Sinovac has the lowest efficacy among all the COVID vaccines currently available, I wanted the Pfizer vaccine. But after that COVID scare and with these new COVID variants coming out, I was ready to be vaccinated with whatever brand that's available. Because like what they keep on saying on TV, the best vaccine is the one that's available to you.

The month of May came and went, and still no notification from the barangay or the City Health Office about my vaccination schedule. Entering the month of June, news about the Pfizer vaccine arriving in our LGU started to spread like wildfire. By this time, I was getting excited, at the same time desperate to be vaccinated. From time to time, I would check with my cousin if I already have a vaccination schedule.

After so many, many weeks of waiting, the call that I had been waiting for finally came. Around noontime of June 25, I got the call from the General Hospital that I was scheduled for vaccination the next day (June 26). Luckily, my siblings and I were scheduled on the same day, too. We were advised to come to the vaccination site in the morning, as early as possible, because the vaccination will be on a 'first come, first served' basis.

Vaccination day, finally!

The following day, I was up by 4:30 am, the earliest that I have woken up ever since the lockdown started. By 6 am, my siblings and I were on our way to the Mega Vaccination Site, located in the outskirts of the city, about 2 miles from where we live.

The Mega Vaccination Site, located in Brgy. San Jose, San Pablo City.

There was already a throng of people when we entered the building. They were all seated, already occupying almost half of the seats inside the vaccination site. Thankfully, we were able to secure seats easily, and as soon as we sat down, we were handed a bunch of papers which included a consent form, an assessment form, a monitoring checklist, a discharge form, and some pertinent information about COVID vaccines and what vaccine will be administered to you. 

Vaccine FAQ's + some forms that you need to fill out.

From the get-go, I knew that we were getting the Pfizer vaccine, and inwardly, I was screaming for excitement and joy. I tried not to get too excited though, because my blood pressure might shoot up. 

Now here's what to expect if you're getting the COVID vaccine at the San Pablo City Mega Vaccination Site. First is the Registration Area. This is where they confirm your identity and double check if you are indeed scheduled for vaccination on that particular day. Strictly no walk-ins! 

The organized crowd, sitting in line for the Registration Area.

Step 2 is the Counselling Area. Here, they check and monitor your blood pressure and inform you about the vaccination process. The staff and nurses at this point are nice and friendly, and more than willing to answer all your questions regarding vaccines.

Normal blood pressure, yay!

My brother, also sitting in line.

Next is the Screening Area where a doctor will check your health condition and assess whether or not you are fit for vaccination. 

Step 3- Screening Area.

My greatest fear that day was my blood pressure shooting up and not being able to get vaccinated because of my hypertension. Thank goodness that did not happen and I was given the 'Vaccinate' stamp of approval by the attending physician.

Then, we got to the much-awaited step - the Vaccination Area. The photo above is the line leading to the vaccination room. 

Inside the Vaccination Room.

This photo is inside the Vaccination Room. I asked permission from the doctor if I could take pictures of myself while getting vaccinated for blogging purposes. The kind doctor, Dr. Lucy Celino, asked me to hand my phone over to the nurse beside her so she can take my pictures instead. Thank you, Doc! :)

Good jab! Excuse my fat arms, lol.

Once you exit the Vaccination Area, you go straight to the Encoding Area where they check your forms, your ID, and your vaccination card. Afterwards, the nurses will then usher you to the Monitoring Area where they will once again check your blood pressure and monitor your condition for the next 30 minutes before endorsing you for discharge. The nurses had to check my blood pressure twice because my blood pressure was at 140/90 when I entered the Monitoring Area. 

After fifteen minutes, my blood pressure was back to normal and I was then endorsed to the Discharge Area. This is the last and final step where a doctor will talk to you and explain the possible side effects of the vaccine and what you should do in case you get allergies, feel nauseous, or experience difficulty in breathing. 

And with that, after nearly four hours of waiting/sitting in line, our first dose of the COVID vaccine was done! Thank you to the hardworking nurses, doctors, and staff of the San Pablo City General Hospital who were in charge of the San Pablo City Mega Vaccination Site! You guys are awesome!

Good jab! :)

Any side effects?

Surprisingly, there were no adverse side effects with the Pfizer vaccine. My left arm felt very heavy and the injection site felt quite sore for the next three days, but that was pretty much it. I felt a bit of nausea the day after vaccination, but it was fleeting, like less than an hour. I can't even attribute it directly to the vaccine because I was also extremely busy that day - cooking, cleaning the house, replying to emails, beating a writing deadline, and working on a blog campaign all at the same time. 

I'm hoping the second dose won't have adverse side effects as well. We're getting our second dose on the 18th if there will be no changes to the schedule. 

For those of you who have not been vaccinated yet, you may now register online, especially if you belong to the A1, A2, and A3 categories. The San Pablo LGU is also encouraging those from the A4 (Economic Frontliners) and A5 (Indigent Population) categories to sign-up for vaccination, too. You can now register online with this link: https://tinyurl.com/SPCERegistro

For more information about the registration procedures and requirements, follow the San Pablo City Health Information Center's official Facebook page.

For announcements about the vaccination schedule, follow the City Information Office's official Facebook page.

You may also coordinate with your respective barangay regarding the registration and your vaccination schedule.

PCPPI to provide free vaccines to all its employees joins the private sector in Dose of Hope initiative.

Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines Inc. (PCPPI),—the exclusive manufacturer of PepsiCo beverages in the country—announced today that it will provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all its employees who will voluntarily receive them. The company purchased the vaccines as part of the tripartite agreement between the private sector, the government and vaccine manufacturers.

Photo credit: PCPPI Facebook page

“Providing free vaccines is essential to a healthy and safe working environment at PCPPI. The inoculation will be voluntary but we highly encourage everyone to be vaccinated. This is to show gratitude to our employees who have all worked hard during the pandemic,” said President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Frederick D. Ong.

The vaccination program is part of “Dose of Hope” initiative led by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. The program already purchased 17 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca. Set delivery date of vaccines for the company will be on the 3rd quarter of this year.

“PCPPI participated in the ‘Dose of Hope’ initiative for faster vaccine rollout. This is our way of supporting the private sector’s goal of reviving the economy and the government’s efforts in controlling COVID,” Ong added. PCPPI also held a virtual learning session on COVID-19 Vaccination for its employees. Dr. Iris Radev, MD from Ocean Medical Clinic in British Columbia, Canada, facilitated the online event. With close to 300 attendees, the session aimed to encourage vaccination. "Our employees need to know the right information on COVID-19 vaccines. The benefits of inoculation definitely outweighs the risks and fears we have," added Vibes Cheong, Senior Vice President for Human Resources and Corporate Affairs.

PPCPI manufactures and sells well-known PepsiCo beverages brands such as Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mug, Gatorade, Aquafina, Premier, Sting, Tropicana and Lipton.

Flu Shots | Better Safe than Sorry!

'Twas like a family outing as my brother, sis-in-law, my niece, and my little man and I trooped to the pedia this afternoon. But don't worry, it's not because the kids are sick or anything. We just paid a visit so the kids can get their flu shots. It's almost the rainy season, after all. And as we all know, the flu becomes prevalent during this time of the year.

Little Miss Maggie (and Yue) waiting for their turn at the pedia.

Influenza, more commonly called as the flu, is a viral infection that affects the respiratory system - the nose, throat, and lungs. It is a serious disease that can lead to many complications, and the best defense against it is to receive an annual vaccination.

Vaxigrip, check! 

The flu vaccine is recommended to everyone, but it's especially important for those in higher-risk groups to be vaccinated. These include:
- Kids 6 months through 4 years old.
- Adults 50 years old and above.
- Adults and children with chronic medical conditions. (such as asthma, COPD, bronchitis, etc.)
- All women who are pregnant, are considering pregnancy, have recently given birth, or are breastfeeding during flu season.
- Residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes.
- Persons who can transmit influenza to those at risk. (e.g., health care workers, household contacts, caregivers)

The best time to get the vaccine for influenza is before the start of the flu season. Since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies (that protect against influenza virus infection) to develop in the body, it is recommended that people get vaccinated before influenza begins spreading in their community.

In the Philippines, the flu season coincides with the rainy season. It is best to get the vaccine during the summer months, between March and May. You may still get the vaccine outside these months, because getting a shot later in the season is still better than not getting the vaccine at all. The immunity lasts until the year's flu season (because of the change in the prevalent strains of the virus every year). Hence, the vaccine must be given every year.

Mommies, have your kids received their flu shots this year? Do you get flu shots, too?