DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Oct. 27 (PIA) -- The vaccines developed against COVID-19 are proven to prevent severe symptoms versus taking herbal supplements alone.

Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force-Emerging Infectious Disease (PIATF-EID) Incident Ground Commander and Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion emphasized this during her virtual press conference on Oct. 26. 

Estacion gave her opinion as a health professional when she was asked for her view on individuals who refuse to take the vaccines but rely on herbal supplements as protection against COVID-19.

She lamented that there are people who choose  herbal supplements over the vaccines that are recommended by the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control which are guaranteed to avert severe complications from the virus and prevent deaths.

Estacion said these supplements have no therapeutic effect and cannot be counted as medicine to treat various ailments.

“Pwede ka moinom ana pero kinahanglan ka magpabakuna. Kanang ‘no therapeutic effect’ tinuod siya. Gibutang nila mao dili ta mosalig (You can take it but you also have to take the vaccine. The ‘no therapeutic effect’ which they put there is true. That’s why we should not solely depend on it)," Estacion said.

She also reported that the province has logged 44 new deaths related to COVID-19.

Most of those who died have “unknown vaccination” status, which the Integrated Provincial Health Office qualified as unvaccinated.

“Nakita nato sa ato deaths all are unvaccinated. Kung moingon ka unknown, ang pamilya wala nakabalo kung nabakunahan ba or wala. I consider the unknown as unvaccinated. Kung unvaccinated sila dayon nahimo sila mortality, that means dako gud kaayo ang percentage na ikaw ma-severe kung wala kay bakuna (Most of the new deaths are unvaccinated. If an individual has an 'unknown' vaccination status, it means their families are not sure if they have taken the vaccine or not. Therefore, I consider them as unvaccinated. We can see here that the percentage of getting severe infection is high when you don’t take the vaccine),” Estacion explained.

The health official also appealed to media outlets advertising herbal capsules and supplements to also always emphasize to their audience the “no approve therapeutic claim” which is part of the product they endorse.

Although she understands that these products are the source of income for media outlets, she said it is important that they also educate the public on the meaning of the said disclaimer to avoid confusion. 

 “Unta i-emphasize na nila. Nakita nato ang mga herbal medicine (supplements) 'No Therapeutic Claim' pero daghan kaayo gi-claim nila na makatambal. Unta dili nato i-sway ang katawhan ug unsa ang kamatuoran. Pwede ka moinom ana pero kinahanglan motuo sa medisina na gi-recommend sa mga doktor ug gi-recommend sa gobyerno (I hope they will emphasize that to the people. Herbal supplements have no therapeutic claims, but many people are testifying that these can cure. Let’s not confuse the public and inform them on the truth. You can take it but also trust the medicines that are recommended by the doctor and the government),” she added.

Meanwhile, Estacion announced that the province has already achieved 18% of the target 908,393 persons to be vaccinated against the virus.

This translates to around 164,020 individuals who have been completely vaccinated, including those who received the one-shot Janssen vaccine.

Around 172,428 individuals under the A1 to A5 priority groups are still waiting for their second dose of the vaccine. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)