Is Getting a Pneumonia and Flu Vaccine a Good Idea?
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Now that we are back in a stricter quarantine (due to the overwhelmed hospitals) and there is talk of a second wave that is just around the corner, perhaps you might be thinking of a way to better protect yourself against the virus.
Aside from the usual advice of wearing a mask and physical distancing, the Department of Health also encourages people to get a pneumonia and flu vaccine. According to this article, the DOH states that getting those vaccines may lessen the gravity of symptoms if you ever contract COVID 19. Not that I believe everything they say, but I thought that it wouldn't hurt to get vaccinated.
Since public transportation is scarce, it's best to look for a clinic or a hospital that is located within walking distance from where you live. Try to contact them and ask for their rates. Yes, I do believe that it is a good idea to shop around for the best rates. Based on my experience, most health centers provide FREE pneumonia and flu vaccines to senior citizens so it's also a good idea to contact the health center in your barangay. In some of them, you can get vaccinated against pneumonia and flu for a minimal fee but others only provide their services to senior citizens at no cost.
I also asked for recommendations from a Facebook group of any clinics nearby providing immunization services but didn't get any. However, somebody did send me a private message saying that she was a nurse and she could go to my house for immunization. She offered better rates than the private clinic I inquired at but my friend said that this was only safe if I knew her personally.
Anyway, I found a health center in a nearby barangay which provides immunization services at a minimal cost (P2,300 for the pneumonia vaccine that was good for 5 years and P1,500 for the annual flu vaccine). I paid the fee on the day that I visited them to inquire about their rates. Then was told that I would be getting a text message once the vaccine was available. After two days, I received a text message asking me to go to the health center on the following day.
Pare down your expectations as barangay health centers are not air conditioned and look worse than your typical Philippine government office. They give you one of each vaccine per arm then I was advised to massage the injection site with a warm compress when I got home. The health personnel were wearing PPEs which must be horrible in an unairconditioned place. Hopefully, the stricter quarantine measures will give them a much needed break from the influx of COVID 19 patients.
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