NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

[Sally Furniss]

Anti-bird flu stocks to cover 100,000 key people

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4314441a6000.html?source=RSSdominionpost/headlines_20071206

The Government has purchased enough bird-flu vaccine for nearly 100,000 front-line personnel and have orders in for the rest of the country, should it be needed.

The current two-dose vaccine against the H5N1 strain may be ineffective if a different strain causes a pandemic.

Health Minister David Cunliffe said the H5N1 vaccine would be given to 60,000 health personnel, 10,000 fire service emergency staff, 7000 police, 6000 defence personnel 2000 border controllers and 2300 NZ-based international aircrew.

"By offering early protection to these workers, it will help us to continue providing essential response services during a pandemic."

The vaccine lasts many years, but is only effective if both doses are received.

In the event of a nationwide pandemic the Government has negotiated contracts for a specific vaccine. "We have contracts in place to get priority access to such a vaccine once it's available, and we'll be getting enough to offer vaccination to all New Zealanders," Mr Cunliffe said.

A specific pandemic vaccine is developed from a strain of the virus that is causing a pandemic. Vaccine against influenza only protect against the particular strain of virus they are made from.

No vaccine protects against all influenza strains.

The Ministry of Health's contract is with CSL, an Australian company. It will take at least six months after a pandemic virus has been recognised to manufacture a vaccine.

The current stock of H5N1 vaccine expires in March 2009.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

The Minister of Health says front line personnel in eight priority groups will be the first to be offered a vaccine against a strain of avian influenza.
This will include about 100,000 personnel in health, police and other essential services likely to have direct contact with people exposed to the influenza in the event of an outbreak.
The Minister, David Cunliffe, says the aim is to be as prepared as possible even though it's not known when another influenza pandemic will arise.
He says

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200712061214/front_line_workers_to_be_offered_bird_flu_vaccine

 

[tropical]

Re: NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

"offered" ?!?

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

People do not have to take vaccine if they do not want it.

 

[tropical]

Re: NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

People do not have to take vaccine if they do not want it.

Then how will the first responders, health personel, and etc., supposedly be protected from the pandemic?
And if they refuse the vax, how they will
"... continue providing essential response services during a pandemic." ?

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

Media Release

6 December 2007

Front-line workers prioritised for pandemic vaccine

Nearly 100,000 front-line personnel in health, police and other essential services are in line to receive the two-dose vaccine against the current H5N1 strain of avian influenza, if it is required.

The vaccine, which is now in the country, will remain in storage until needed.

?This vaccine would only be offered to front-line workers in eight priority groups who provide essential services and are likely to have direct contact with people exposed to pandemic influenza,? Health Minister David Cunliffe said.

?Even though we don't know when we will face the next influenza pandemic, our aim is to be as prepared as possible,? Mr Cunliffe said.

It is planned that priority for the vaccine would be given to about 60,000 health personnel, 10,000 fire service emergency staff, 7000 policemen, 6000 defence personnel and 2300 NZ-based international aircrew.

"By offering early protection to these workers, it will help us to continue providing essential response services during a pandemic," Mr Cunliffe said.

The vaccine is made from a currently circulating strain of H5N1 avian influenza virus.

Mr Cunliffe said the best protection will be from a specific pandemic vaccine that can be used to immunise all New Zealanders.

"We have contracts in place to get priority access to such a vaccine once it's available, and we'll be getting enough to offer vaccination to all New Zealanders," he stressed.

"This again emphasises the importance of our future efforts to stop or slow down the entry of the pandemic strain into New Zealand, and to try to stamp out any early cases or outbreaks," Mr Cunliffe said.

As part of an ongoing drive to further improve New Zealand's ability to meet existing health threats and counter new ones, laboratories will be required starting December 18 to report to the Medical Officer of Health when they have any case of 49 different diseases. Health professionals are already required to notify health authorities of any case of infectious diseases.

"Early warning of the presence and extent of these threats is essential for their prevention and control," Mr Cunliffe explained. "These small steps can help stop the spread of disease early."

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/0/D869FAA009962164CC2573A80073ACEC?Open

 

[tropical]

Re: NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

Media Release

6 December 2007

Front-line workers prioritised for pandemic vaccine

Nearly 100,000 front-line personnel in health, police and other essential services are in line to receive the two-dose vaccine against the current H5N1 strain of avian influenza, if it is required.
The vaccine, which is now in the country, will remain in storage until needed.
“This vaccine would only be offered to front-line workers in eight priority groups who provide essential services and are likely to have direct contact with people exposed to pandemic influenza,” Health Minister David Cunliffe said.
"By offering early protection to these workers, it will help us to continue providing essential response services during a pandemic," Mr Cunliffe said.
The vaccine is made from a currently circulating strain of H5N1 avian influenza virus.
Mr Cunliffe said the best protection will be from a specific pandemic vaccine that can be used to immunise all New Zealanders.
"We have contracts in place to get priority access to such a vaccine once it's available, and we'll be getting enough to offer vaccination to all New Zealanders," he stressed.
...
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/0/D869FAA009962164CC2573A80073ACEC?Open

<TABLE class=tborder style="BORDER-TOP-WIDTH: 0px" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR title="Post 112902" vAlign=top><TD class=alt1 align=middle width=125>AnneZ</TD><TD class=alt2>People do not have to take vaccine if they do not want it.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

When reading the upper statement, I have a feeling that I'm living in a "pre-Jening" world - a world without vaccines for the worst scam-bugs scourges.

I have an aversion to pushed things also, and it's clear that today we have many "franken-mixed" vaccines.
But the anacronistic thing is that the medical (or other) sector choose to buy (or create) vaccines to propinate to citizens at the same time when those who valuate it (the med. professionals) don't want to take that vaccines.

If the created vaccines are enaugh toxic, or can cause serious harm, it must be banned.
If the created vaccines are enaugh scientificaly stated safe (by the medical branch), than the med. professionals MUST be the first who think that vaccine is safe, and be the ones who will first be vaccinated because they work in front line.

Now we have the oposite situation - the citizens accepts the vacinations, but the vast majority of med. professionals REFUSE the vaccinations.
This kind of behavior testified for itself - the new vaccines are NOT enaugh safe.
But the first-liners if infected - because without any vaccination - will infect MORE non-infected citizens when they will be on various med. treatments, or opservations.
Can't be - various first line med. profesionals treating infected people, or be in the midst of eradicating infectious illnesses without be vaccinated prior, or without be immune - unfortunately we can see what happens now with new Ebola strain in Africa.

The med. sector must push to create new - not animal based, and unharming, types of vaccines, produced in short term, and than - the meds will WANT to be inoculated.

With "no hard feelings"

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

About $2 million of vaccine has been earmarked for front-line personnel likely to be affected by any outbreak of bird flu.
The priority group of nearly 100,000 people includes police, health, fire, defence and air crew personnel who are likely to have direct contact with people exposed to the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in the event of an outbreak.
Health Minister David Cunliffe says the aim is to be as prepared as possible even though it is not known when another influenza pandemic will arise.
Director of public health Mark Jacobs says the supply is a precaution and will be held in storage until there is solid evidence the H5N1 strain is spreading from person to person.
The vaccine is already in New Zealand.



http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/latest/200712071741/high-risk_staff_first_in_line_for_bird_flu_vaccine

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: NZ: Pre-pandemic vaccine stocks to cover 100,000 key people

DAILY NEWS 06 DECEMBER 2007

GPs on priority list for vaccine
Liane Topham-Kindley
tophamkindley@xtra.co.nz


GPs and practice nurses will be among the 60,000 health personnel identified in a group of 100,000 front-line workers to be first in line to receive a pandemic vaccine.

The Ministry of Health announced today nearly 100,000 people in “front-line” jobs including health, fire service, police, defence and New Zealand-based international aircrew personnel will be given priority for the vaccine.

The vaccine, designed to protect against the current H5N1 strain of avian influenza, is now in New Zealand and currently in storage “until needed”.
Director of public health Mark Jacobs told New Zealand Doctor working GPs and practice nurses will be among the first targeted.

“People that have those front-line clinical roles in a general practice will be targeted.”

Because, although the plan is for community-based assessment centres to be established for people with influenza to visit for treatment, Dr Jacobs says in the early days of a pandemic, GPs and practice nurses will be the first to see sufferers who may be among the first cluster of outbreaks.

GPs, nurse and volunteers during a pandemic flu exercise in Christchurch earlier this year
Vaccinating will begin as soon as needed
Effective vaccination requires two doses of the vaccine given at least three weeks apart and Dr Jacobs says as soon as H5N1 “starts looking like it’s a real worry spreading easily from person to person”, a vaccination programme will swing into action.

Health minister David Cunliffe says in a statement the vaccine will only be offered to front-line workers in eight priority groups who provide essential services and are likely to have direct contact with people exposed to pandemic influenza.

“By offering early protection to these workers, it will help us to continue providing essential response services during a pandemic.”

The pre-pandemic vaccine made by Swiss company Baxter Healthcare S.A. is made from a currently circulating strain of H5N1 avian influenza virus.
The level of protection it will provide depends on how close (in the evolutionary sense) an eventual pandemic virus is to the viral strain from which the vaccine is made. If the next pandemic is caused by a virus related to a different strain, then the vaccine won’t be effective.
Mr Cunliffe says the best protection will come from a specific pandemic vaccine that could be developed from a strain actually causing a pandemic.
“We have contracts in place to get priority access to such a vaccine once it’s available, and we’ll be getting enough to offer vaccination to all New Zealanders.”

However, in the meantime, the Government considers it sensible to keep some stocks of H5N1 vaccine in case that strain mutates to cause the next pandemic.

GPs reassured but still have questions

Christchurch GP Andrew Manning who is involved in Canterbury’s Primary Care Pandemic Planning Reference Group is reassured by the ministry’s announcement.

“If you want people to work in these situations you have to provide as much protection as you can – and that’s very reassuring – because otherwise you are asking a lot of them.”

But in the same breath he raises the issue of the efficacy of the vaccine and points out administration of a vaccination programme will have to be efficient to ensure there is plenty of time for a second dose for the vaccine to be effective.

The Canterbury group is still busy working behind the scenes on pandemic planning. Some members met just yesterday with Civil Defence emergency management while this morning they have been putting a proposal together for the DHB on what pharmaceuticals they might need.

Earlier they met with a ministry representative to sort out how GPs will be paid for the work they do in a pandemic.

New infectious disease reporting

The ministry also announced yesterday tighter rules around reporting of infectious diseases.

Currently, health professionals are required to notify health authorities of any case of infectious disease and from December 18 new requirements have been placed on pathology laboratories. They too will have to follow this practice of notifying the Medical Officer of Health of infectious diseases.

Mr Cunliffe says the move is part of an ongoing drive to further improve New Zealand’s ability to meet existing health threats and counter new ones.

http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/news?article=27571b05-ce5c-4723-9b65-31929f9d65a4