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Source: http://expressbuzz.com/cities/thiruv...ed/173691.html
All health workers to be vaccinated
G Rajiv
First Published : 15 May 2010 07:00:57 AM IST
Last Updated : 15 May 2010 09:19:18 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The swine flu threat is still looming large over Kerala and as the monsoon is all set to hit the state coast by May end, an alert has been sounded.
As a precautionary measure and to protect over one lakh health workers in the state, the swine flu preventive vaccine will be administered to the health staff from next week. The health staff, including doctors of major swine flu treating centres (both government and private) across the state, will be administered preventive vaccine in the first phase for which a consignment of 45,600 doses has reached the state. The decision to administer the vaccine to the health staff has been taken following a directive from the Union Health Ministry.
The doctors and health workers, who are at high risk of contracting the virus through contact with patients, have been selected in the first phase for administering the vaccine. In the second phase, the field staff and other health workers will be covered. In the third phase, the ASHA workers and Anganwadi volunteers will be included.
It is suspected that an increase in fever cases might also trigger a sporadic increase in the swine flu cases as the virus has become endemic in society. The death reported in Kollam on Thursday of a swine flu- positive patient has made the Health Department alert and a warning to all the District Medical Officers of the state has been issued subsequently. This has confirmed the fact that even today swine flu virus is active in the state.
The people like pregnant mothers have been put in the high risk category and hence those who are treating these pregnant mothers in various hospitals of the state will be given top priority in administering vaccine. Right from the Primary Health Centres to the Medical College Hospital, all the health staff, including doctors and nurses, will be given this vaccine.
The State had requested for 88,000 doses of the vaccine, based on a rough estimate of the doctors and health workers who might need protection. Now the Union Health Ministry has asked the State Health Department to submit an estimate of the vaccine required for the second phase.
The department will soon send the details of the requirement. However, the Centre has not made it clear whether these vaccines would be made available for administering it to the common man.
In each district, five to six designated centres have been selected from where the vaccine will be provided. The staff of both the government and private hospitals have been asked to utilise this facility without fail.
It may be recalled that 1,613 cases of H1N1 positive cases have been reported in the state till date and of them 38 deaths have been confirmed.
All health workers to be vaccinated
G Rajiv
First Published : 15 May 2010 07:00:57 AM IST
Last Updated : 15 May 2010 09:19:18 AM IST
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The swine flu threat is still looming large over Kerala and as the monsoon is all set to hit the state coast by May end, an alert has been sounded.
As a precautionary measure and to protect over one lakh health workers in the state, the swine flu preventive vaccine will be administered to the health staff from next week. The health staff, including doctors of major swine flu treating centres (both government and private) across the state, will be administered preventive vaccine in the first phase for which a consignment of 45,600 doses has reached the state. The decision to administer the vaccine to the health staff has been taken following a directive from the Union Health Ministry.
The doctors and health workers, who are at high risk of contracting the virus through contact with patients, have been selected in the first phase for administering the vaccine. In the second phase, the field staff and other health workers will be covered. In the third phase, the ASHA workers and Anganwadi volunteers will be included.
It is suspected that an increase in fever cases might also trigger a sporadic increase in the swine flu cases as the virus has become endemic in society. The death reported in Kollam on Thursday of a swine flu- positive patient has made the Health Department alert and a warning to all the District Medical Officers of the state has been issued subsequently. This has confirmed the fact that even today swine flu virus is active in the state.
The people like pregnant mothers have been put in the high risk category and hence those who are treating these pregnant mothers in various hospitals of the state will be given top priority in administering vaccine. Right from the Primary Health Centres to the Medical College Hospital, all the health staff, including doctors and nurses, will be given this vaccine.
The State had requested for 88,000 doses of the vaccine, based on a rough estimate of the doctors and health workers who might need protection. Now the Union Health Ministry has asked the State Health Department to submit an estimate of the vaccine required for the second phase.
The department will soon send the details of the requirement. However, the Centre has not made it clear whether these vaccines would be made available for administering it to the common man.
In each district, five to six designated centres have been selected from where the vaccine will be provided. The staff of both the government and private hospitals have been asked to utilise this facility without fail.
It may be recalled that 1,613 cases of H1N1 positive cases have been reported in the state till date and of them 38 deaths have been confirmed.