The Department of Health dismissed the claims that COVID-19 jabs will affect the use of anesthesia in medical procedures.
The health agency issued this advisory on Wednesday as part of its campaign against COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and disinformation.
“Binigyang linaw ng kagawaran ng kalusugan ang kumakalat na post patungkol sa COVID-19 vaccine, anestisya, at operasyon. Walang ebidensya na nagpapakita na nakakasama ang COVID-19 vaccine sa mga nabigyan ng anestisya para sa dental procedures o kahit ano pa mang operasyon,” the DOH said.
It also shared a screenshot of a circulating message about the supposed adverse effects of using anesthetics after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Anyone who has been vaccinated against the coronavirus is prohibited from using any type of anesthetic, even local anesthetics or dental anesthetics because this poses a great hazard to the life of the vaccinated person,” part of the claim read.
In line with this, the health department reminded the public to be vigilant about the information they receive online.
“The Department reminds the public to always verify information found online only with legitimate sources. Maging BIDA, alamin ang tamang impormasyon!” it said.
Moreover, the DOH also stressed the importance of receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Ipinapaalala sa lahat na importanteng makuha ang second dose ng bakuna para sa kabuuang proteksyon laban sa virus,” it said.
As of writing, all the COVID-19 vaccine brands donated and procured by the country need to be administered in two doses within weeks apart for their efficacy against the deadly disease to take effect.
Amid the still ongoing COVID-19 vaccination in local government units, a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force’s sub-technical working group previously bared that an alarming number of more than one million Filipinos missed the second dose of their COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. John Wong, an epidemiology and data analytics expert working with the IATF, cited that about 2.1 million individuals should have already received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines from Sinovac and Gamaleya by June.
“Half of the people who have taken their first dose are missing out on their second dose, so we need to follow up on this,” Wong said.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire likewise urged Filipinos to have themselves inoculated with two doses to receive the COVID-19 jab’s maximum protection.
“First dose is really not enough. Sinasabi na po ito ng ating mga eksperto that you need to get your second dose because it provides you with the maximum potential of the vaccine,” Vergeire was quoted as saying this month.
RELATED: How do COVID-19 vaccines work? Pharmacist on Tiktok explains
