MANILA–Before undergoing circumcision or tooth extraction, Dengvaxia recipients in Calabarzon region should have a blood test first before proceeding with the procedures to discount the possibility that complications are caused by the vaccine, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.
“Even if these procedures are just minor surgeries, by getting a CBC (complete blood count) first, can prevent any possible problem of pointing any untoward incident to the vaccine if ever,”DOH Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo Janairo told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.
Janairo said the directives were issued through an advisory which ordered all Provincial Department of Health Office to inform parents of the vaccinees to take precaution by getting a CBC test first to determine if the blood cells are not exhibiting any signs of leukemia or any other underlying conditions.
“CBC and blood clothing time/bleeding time is a pre-requisite laboratory work-up before conducting Operation Tuli and tooth extraction,” the advisory said.
CBC or full blood exam is a laboratory test that gives information about the cells in the blood of the person including concentration of various proteins and minerals.
Janairo said it is important to check the number red blood cells for those who will undergo the procedures that in case a disease will be detected after the circumcision or tooth extraction, physicians have a baseline data to look into.
To date, he said there were 22 cases of leukemia in the region recorded among those who were vaccinated perceived to be “potentially-related” to Dengvaxia vaccination.
Calabarzon is composed of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.