CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (February 23) — Mindanao may be sitting on a measles time bomb.
The Department of Health (DOH) warned of a possible outbreak after vaccination coverage from the month-long Ligtas Tigdas Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA) reached only 82% — well below the 95% needed for herd immunity.
From January 19 to February 20, health workers vaccinated 2.3 million children aged five and below across Mindanao and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). But 520,645 children — nearly one in five — remain unprotected.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said that gap could open the door to rapid transmission, especially in schools.
“If many are unvaccinated, more will become infected, and it will quickly create an outbreak because of the number of vulnerable kids,” Herbosa warned.
Even children older than five are at risk if routine immunization was missed, he added, noting that outbreaks can easily spark in crowded classrooms where measles — one of the most contagious viruses — spreads fast.
BARMM posted the highest coverage at 90%, vaccinating 517,981 children. But that still falls short of the safety threshold.
The DOH is urging parents not to wait for cases to spike. Children need two doses of the measles vaccine for full protection, along with updated routine immunization.
The Mindanao drive marks the first phase of a nationwide campaign. Luzon and the Visayas are next — as health officials race to close immunity gaps before the virus does it for them.
