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Argentina: return the swine flu fear
Veronica Smink
BBC Mundo, Argentina
In 2009, amid the worldwide panic that caused the pandemic of swine flu, Argentina grabbed during the austral winter period holders of the international press about the high number of deaths from this disease.
In Argentina there is concern about the lack of swine influenza vaccines.
Worst of the scare, the figures revealed the concern of the landscape: more than 12,000 confirmed cases of infection, Argentina had 626 deaths, the sixth highest number of deaths in the world and one of the highest mortality rates in the world.
To avoid a similar scenario this year, the Argentine authorities announced a comprehensive health plan for prevention of swine influenza.
The plan included the purchase of 11.5 million vaccines against influenza virus.
However, the arrival of the first cold days came to bring unrest among many citizens of this South American country.
The mainstream media in the country began to reflect the concern of many about the lack of vaccines in pharmacies and private health facilities.
According to data collected by the newspaper Clar?n, most pharmacies do not have the vaccine or dose not have enough to meet demand.
The most worried are the parents of young children who, according to doctors, are at greatest spread of the disease.
Panic
To some observers, the supply problem is due to the high number of people who, despite not being part of a risk group, went to get the shot, frightened by the severity of the disease in 2009.
Icelandic volcano ashes which have ceased flying in Europe delayed the arrival of many of the doses from Italy and Germany
Jorge San Juan, the Ministry of Health of Buenos Aires
In this regard, Deputy Minister of Health of the Nation, Maximum Diosque, told BBC News that the doses are purchased by the Ministry for health workers, children under 5 years, over 65, pregnant and immunocompromised individuals.
"The national government's strategy is focused on preventing deaths in these risk groups, which are the ones who had higher mortality rates last year," he said.
Diosque BBC assured that all these people are guaranteed to provide the vaccine through the state for free. He clarified that this vaccine is monovalent type, as it is known that protects only against the H1N1 virus.
However, the high demand for vaccines in pharmacies and private schools would be the type trivalent, which also protects against so-called "seasonal flu (H3N2) and influenza B.
Ash
Dr. Jorge San Juan, co-coordinator of the Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Health Epidemiologic government of Buenos Aires, he told BBC News that this year the country will not suffer a shortage of medicines against the flu virus.
Doctors said young children are at greatest spread of the disease.
"There are enough sufficient vaccines and antivirals," he said.
The expert said that several private pharmaceutical bought trivalent flu vaccines, so the drug should be available for much of the population, not just those at risk.
However, San Juan explained the reasons why many have not gotten the vaccine privately in recent days: "The Icelandic volcano ashes which have ceased flying in Europe delayed the arrival of many of the doses from Italy and Germany. "
The specialist also anticipated that, unlike what happened last year, this time there should be no missing of antivirals in pharmacies.
"Not only will the drug-free access in 2009 it gave only the state but also now produce several pharmaceutical" he said.
Fewer cases
But health experts are confident that this year the country will be better prepared to deal with the swine flu and will not repeat the figures concern the previous year.
The national government's strategy is focused on preventing deaths in these risk groups, which are the ones who had higher mortality rates last year
Maximum Diosque, Deputy Minister of Health of Argentina
This, even though most agree that this year the H1N1 virus is so prevalent that the current move is called "seasonal flu."
According Diosque, several factors are mixed to ensure a smaller number of seriously ill patients.
On the one hand, although new infections confirmed by laboratory in 2009 was about 12,000, the authorities were actually subtracted nearly 1.5 million people.
"That means that many people are already immune to contagion," said Diosque.
But in addition, the teachings he left the overwhelming passage of the virus generated a strong level of awareness among the population, who now knows better what to do to prevent infection and treat the disease
Argentina: return the swine flu fear
Veronica Smink
BBC Mundo, Argentina
In 2009, amid the worldwide panic that caused the pandemic of swine flu, Argentina grabbed during the austral winter period holders of the international press about the high number of deaths from this disease.
In Argentina there is concern about the lack of swine influenza vaccines.
Worst of the scare, the figures revealed the concern of the landscape: more than 12,000 confirmed cases of infection, Argentina had 626 deaths, the sixth highest number of deaths in the world and one of the highest mortality rates in the world.
To avoid a similar scenario this year, the Argentine authorities announced a comprehensive health plan for prevention of swine influenza.
The plan included the purchase of 11.5 million vaccines against influenza virus.
However, the arrival of the first cold days came to bring unrest among many citizens of this South American country.
The mainstream media in the country began to reflect the concern of many about the lack of vaccines in pharmacies and private health facilities.
According to data collected by the newspaper Clar?n, most pharmacies do not have the vaccine or dose not have enough to meet demand.
The most worried are the parents of young children who, according to doctors, are at greatest spread of the disease.
Panic
To some observers, the supply problem is due to the high number of people who, despite not being part of a risk group, went to get the shot, frightened by the severity of the disease in 2009.
Icelandic volcano ashes which have ceased flying in Europe delayed the arrival of many of the doses from Italy and Germany
Jorge San Juan, the Ministry of Health of Buenos Aires
In this regard, Deputy Minister of Health of the Nation, Maximum Diosque, told BBC News that the doses are purchased by the Ministry for health workers, children under 5 years, over 65, pregnant and immunocompromised individuals.
"The national government's strategy is focused on preventing deaths in these risk groups, which are the ones who had higher mortality rates last year," he said.
Diosque BBC assured that all these people are guaranteed to provide the vaccine through the state for free. He clarified that this vaccine is monovalent type, as it is known that protects only against the H1N1 virus.
However, the high demand for vaccines in pharmacies and private schools would be the type trivalent, which also protects against so-called "seasonal flu (H3N2) and influenza B.
Ash
Dr. Jorge San Juan, co-coordinator of the Emergency Committee of the Ministry of Health Epidemiologic government of Buenos Aires, he told BBC News that this year the country will not suffer a shortage of medicines against the flu virus.
Doctors said young children are at greatest spread of the disease.
"There are enough sufficient vaccines and antivirals," he said.
The expert said that several private pharmaceutical bought trivalent flu vaccines, so the drug should be available for much of the population, not just those at risk.
However, San Juan explained the reasons why many have not gotten the vaccine privately in recent days: "The Icelandic volcano ashes which have ceased flying in Europe delayed the arrival of many of the doses from Italy and Germany. "
The specialist also anticipated that, unlike what happened last year, this time there should be no missing of antivirals in pharmacies.
"Not only will the drug-free access in 2009 it gave only the state but also now produce several pharmaceutical" he said.
Fewer cases
But health experts are confident that this year the country will be better prepared to deal with the swine flu and will not repeat the figures concern the previous year.
The national government's strategy is focused on preventing deaths in these risk groups, which are the ones who had higher mortality rates last year
Maximum Diosque, Deputy Minister of Health of Argentina
This, even though most agree that this year the H1N1 virus is so prevalent that the current move is called "seasonal flu."
According Diosque, several factors are mixed to ensure a smaller number of seriously ill patients.
On the one hand, although new infections confirmed by laboratory in 2009 was about 12,000, the authorities were actually subtracted nearly 1.5 million people.
"That means that many people are already immune to contagion," said Diosque.
But in addition, the teachings he left the overwhelming passage of the virus generated a strong level of awareness among the population, who now knows better what to do to prevent infection and treat the disease