The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed that to date, the A/H1N1 flu pandemic vaccine has proved sufficient as a regular seasonal vaccine . . .
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“The ministry decided to vaccinate against swine flu for priority groups, especially health workers“. (Photo: TT) |
The statement was provided after Canadian authorities announced seven confirmed cases of anaphylaxis following immunisation with the GlaxoSmithKline manufactured Arepanrix vaccine from Lot A80CA007A.
According to Canadian authorities, the frequency of anaphylaxis following immunisation with vaccines from Lot A80CA007A was 4 per 100,000 distributed doses, higher than the usual 0.1-1 per 100,000 doses.
Arepanrix is the same brand of vaccine that WHO had decided to provide Viet Nam with 1.2 million doses for A/H1N1 flu pandemic prevention. The vaccine is expected to ship to Viet Nam from this month until February 2010.
“WHO reiterates that the risks posed by adverse reactions to the vaccines are still far smaller than the risks to at risk populations of serious illness from pandemic influenza,” the statement further said.
The organisation estimates that 150 million doses of pandemic A/H1N1 influenza vaccine have been distributed worldwide and 95 billion administered.
According to the Ministry of Health, in order to receive the vaccine donation, Viet Nam has to sign a commitment with WHO on vaccination, vaccine surveillance and registration in Viet Nam.
At present, Viet Nam hasn’t agreed to sign the commitment because the vaccine receiving countries will have to take responsibility for adverse reactions following immunisation as a mandatory article of the commitment.
At the weekly meeting of the Steering Committee for A/H1N1 flu pandemic prevention yesterday, Director of the Preventive Medicine and Environment Nguyen Huy Nga said that the vaccine provider had confirmed that the vaccine quality met Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations issued by WHO.
“The ministry decided to vaccinate against swine flu for priority groups, especially health workers,” said Nga.
WHO also recommended that health workers should be the first group to receive the vaccine and pregnant women and those with underlying medical conditions should be later vaccinated.
It is estimated that about 280,000 health workers and between 800,000 and 900,000 pregnant women will be on the list of priority groups for vaccination against A/H1N1 pandemic.
The ministry has asked all provinces and cities to strengthen their immunisation systems in order to prepare for the coming vaccine programme.
As of yesterday, it reported a total of 46 A/H1N1 flu fatalities nationwide, of which 25 per cent were pregnant woman among nearly 11,000 reported cases.
VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
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