Vaccine misinformation hampers measles-rubella drive in Central Visayas

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Health authorities in Central Visayas are battling more than measles and rubella (MR) as vaccine misinformation and hesitancy hamper efforts to immunize hundreds of thousands of young children.

The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) has vaccinated only 21.7 percent of its 630,214-target for the region’s Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA).

The turnout improved from the 15 percent recorded last year, but remained far below the 95 percent coverage goal needed for strong population protection against measles.

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As of Aug. 29, only 137,042 children aged 6 to 59 months in Cebu and Bohol had received the shot, leaving 493,172 still unvaccinated and vulnerable to the contagious diseases.

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Officials have identified vaccine hesitancy and misinformation as major obstacles.

In Mandaue City, health officials pointed to social media misinformation as a key reason some parents refuse vaccination.

During the campaign’s first week, the Mandaue City Health Office reported about 577 parents refusing vaccination daily, with another 448 children deferred to a later date.

Health workers also reported encountering resistance, including hostility, during house-to-house vaccination.

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The Mandaue City Council condemned social media posts discouraging vaccination and called for an investigation into the content.

Cebu Provincial Board member and physician Stanley Caminero warned that misleading posts from vloggers and social media personalities were swaying parents’ decisions.

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“In the age of Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, the wrong message spreads faster than the virus,” he said.

DOH-7 has responded by stepping up barangay-level information campaigns and urging parents to consult health professionals, instead of relying on unverified online claims.

Infant death fuels concerns

The misinformation battle has been complicated by the death of a 7-month-old infant in Dumanjug, Cebu, whose family raised concerns about a possible link to the child’s MR vaccination.

The child was vaccinated on Aug. 10 and died on Aug. 24.

The Dumanjug Municipal Health Office, DOH-7 and the Cebu Provincial Health Office are investigating the case as an adverse event following immunization (AEFI).

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But authorities stressed the probe has not established a link between the vaccine and the death. /apl