Public urged to heed health warnings

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang reminded citizens yesterday to heed the Department of Health (DOH)’s advice to avoid contracting the flu this cold season, particularly in some parts of the country where the temperature has been unusually low.

This developed as weather forecasters recorded a slight raise in Baguio City’s temperature yesterday morning, although they said the cold weather is far from over.

“When temperature gets low, the chances of contracting flu are higher, which is why the health department continuously issues reminders on how to avoid the disease, and how to strengthen our body’s immune system,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB.

Valte said there was no discussion yet on travel advisories or alerts even as a flu epidemic had been reported in the United States.

During cold season, the DOH said more people would tend to get sick because of staying indoors, or being cooped up with family members to keep warm.

However, the DOH said being with others for a long period - not wild swings in the weather - makes the body more vulnerable to ailments like respiratory diseases and influenza (flu), or even measles and chicken pox.

The DOH said the public must pay attention and observe health measures like proper hand washing to avoid these illnesses.

Health workers also discouraged sick people from going outside to prevent the spread of diseases, and advised them to always cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing.

The health department said flu usually occurs during cold season, but more so during the rainy season.

Leny Ruiz, of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said Baguio City registered an 11.6 degrees Celsius temperature yesterday morning, higher by 2 degrees than last Friday’s 9.5 degrees Celsius.

In Metro Manila, PAGASA data taken from the Science Garden showed the temperature at 23 degrees Celsius, while its facility based at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) registered 24.4 degrees Celsius, or six degrees higher than the 18.8 degrees Celsius recorded last Friday.

Ruiz said the increase in the temperature was not an indication that the cold days are over. – With Evelyn Macairan