<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=571 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD width=10></TD></TR><TR></TR><TR></TR><TR></TR><TR></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>30k swine flu vaccine doses now in country
By Jimenita Swain ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ jimenita@nasguard.com:
After months of delay, 30,000 doses of the H1N1 or swine flu vaccine are finally in the country at a cost to the government of a quarter of a million dollars.
Minister of Health Dr. Hubert Minnis made the announcement yesterday during a news conference at the Ministry of Health.
He said the vaccines arrived in the country last Wednesday.
The vaccines were supposed to arrive since last November, but were delayed due to production challenges as a result of the worldwide demand for the drug.
"The government has purchased influenza A H1N1 vaccines through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Ministry of Health will begin to administer the vaccines to those most at risk. As children and young adults continue to account for those developing the most serious forms of the illness, these two groups are among those targeted to receive the vaccination first," Dr. Minnis explained.
"However, our priority for vaccination must remain those at highest risk for severe disease including pregnant women; all children between the ages of six months and two years; children between the ages of 10 and 19 years with underlying risk factors such as asthma and other lung diseases, heart disease, cerebral palsy and seizures; teachers of these children and finally health care workers," he added.
He urged parents to vaccinate infants and toddlers.
"It is important to remember that in order to be fully protected they must receive a second dose of the vaccine one month after the first," he said.
Dr. Minnis advised parents to do everything possible to ensure a second follow-up visit - he pointed out that persons 10 years and older only require one dose of the vaccine.
"The Department of Public Health and Grand Bahama Health Services will be offering vaccinations to all children between the ages of 10 and 19 with the stated risk factors," he said.
"They will be vaccinating the teachers of these children at the same time to increase the protection available to our youth."
He said members of the public responded well to the vaccination campaign for fall 2009.
"For those of you who are concerned about this new vaccination, let me assure you that the only difference between this vaccine and the seasonal influenza vaccine is the strain of vaccine against which it is targeted," said Dr. Minnis. "The manufacturing process is the same."
Like the seasonal vaccine, he said anyone with allergies to eggs should not accept the vaccine.
Anyone who receives the injection should also expect pain at the injection site, slight fever and body aches are also normal, he said.
The first phase of the vaccine process is expected to be completed within a month, he said.
Vaccine administration schedules will be noted in the media via newspaper and electronic television and radio broadcast starting today, he added.
Influenza, whether seasonal or pandemic, kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year, Dr. Minnis said.
"While health officials have recently reported that the number of new influenza-like illnesses is beginning to decrease, it is still early in the influenza season and we must remain vigilant that a third wave occurs later in the season," he said.
On the issue of countries which would have over-ordered vaccines, Dr. Minnis pointed out that France and Germany had a surplus.
France for example has a population of 64 million and ordered 94 million vaccines at a cost of $1.2 to $1.3 billion, he said.
"Of that 94 million vaccines, only five million was utilized, which means that there is an excess of $700-odd million that has not been utilized," he explained.
Dr. Minnis said the government cannot afford to fall into a similar situation.
"We would watch to see the pattern of this 30,000 and make decisions after that," he said.
There have been 41 recorded cases of swine flu in the country.
The vaccinations are free.
Tuesday January 26, 2010
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/323532720685559
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By Jimenita Swain ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ jimenita@nasguard.com:
After months of delay, 30,000 doses of the H1N1 or swine flu vaccine are finally in the country at a cost to the government of a quarter of a million dollars.
Minister of Health Dr. Hubert Minnis made the announcement yesterday during a news conference at the Ministry of Health.
He said the vaccines arrived in the country last Wednesday.
The vaccines were supposed to arrive since last November, but were delayed due to production challenges as a result of the worldwide demand for the drug.
"The government has purchased influenza A H1N1 vaccines through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Ministry of Health will begin to administer the vaccines to those most at risk. As children and young adults continue to account for those developing the most serious forms of the illness, these two groups are among those targeted to receive the vaccination first," Dr. Minnis explained.
"However, our priority for vaccination must remain those at highest risk for severe disease including pregnant women; all children between the ages of six months and two years; children between the ages of 10 and 19 years with underlying risk factors such as asthma and other lung diseases, heart disease, cerebral palsy and seizures; teachers of these children and finally health care workers," he added.
He urged parents to vaccinate infants and toddlers.
"It is important to remember that in order to be fully protected they must receive a second dose of the vaccine one month after the first," he said.
Dr. Minnis advised parents to do everything possible to ensure a second follow-up visit - he pointed out that persons 10 years and older only require one dose of the vaccine.
"The Department of Public Health and Grand Bahama Health Services will be offering vaccinations to all children between the ages of 10 and 19 with the stated risk factors," he said.
"They will be vaccinating the teachers of these children at the same time to increase the protection available to our youth."
He said members of the public responded well to the vaccination campaign for fall 2009.
"For those of you who are concerned about this new vaccination, let me assure you that the only difference between this vaccine and the seasonal influenza vaccine is the strain of vaccine against which it is targeted," said Dr. Minnis. "The manufacturing process is the same."
Like the seasonal vaccine, he said anyone with allergies to eggs should not accept the vaccine.
Anyone who receives the injection should also expect pain at the injection site, slight fever and body aches are also normal, he said.
The first phase of the vaccine process is expected to be completed within a month, he said.
Vaccine administration schedules will be noted in the media via newspaper and electronic television and radio broadcast starting today, he added.
Influenza, whether seasonal or pandemic, kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide every year, Dr. Minnis said.
"While health officials have recently reported that the number of new influenza-like illnesses is beginning to decrease, it is still early in the influenza season and we must remain vigilant that a third wave occurs later in the season," he said.
On the issue of countries which would have over-ordered vaccines, Dr. Minnis pointed out that France and Germany had a surplus.
France for example has a population of 64 million and ordered 94 million vaccines at a cost of $1.2 to $1.3 billion, he said.
"Of that 94 million vaccines, only five million was utilized, which means that there is an excess of $700-odd million that has not been utilized," he explained.
Dr. Minnis said the government cannot afford to fall into a similar situation.
"We would watch to see the pattern of this 30,000 and make decisions after that," he said.
There have been 41 recorded cases of swine flu in the country.
The vaccinations are free.
Tuesday January 26, 2010
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/323532720685559
.php
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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