Government Urged To Stock Up On Flu Vaccine

FLU OUTBREAK WARNING: Government urged to stock up on vaccine

BANGKOK: -- The Medical Sciences Department yesterday called on the government to stock 500,000 doses of influenza vaccine in case of a virulent outbreak, a proposal immediately rejected by the caretaker permanent secretary for Public Health.

Dr Somsong Rakpao, directorgeneral of the Public Health Ministry’s Medical Sciences Department, said he was worried there could soon be an outbreak of a virulent strain of human influenza, H3N2.

He said his department had detected the H3N2 strain in 40 per cent of suspected human birdflu cases since December, indicating that an outbreak may be imminent.

Somsong said the country had only about 70,000 doses of vaccine against H3N2 influenza virus in stock, which was inadequate if an outbreak occurred.

He said the country needed about 500,000 doses to protect public health officials, children and senior citizens in case of an outbreak. He added that if the country bought 500,000 doses, the supplier would automatically stock 1.5 million doses as backup.

The directorgeneral said it would take about six months to make the vaccine, meaning the country would not be able to react in time if it waited for an outbreak to occur first.

He said the H3N2 influenza virus was as virulent and deadly as Sars and bird flu, especially in children and older people.

Somsong said the World Health Organisation had recently held a meeting of vaccine manufacturers and warned that a worldwide outbreak of H3N2 virus could occur within two years.

“Some people have died of the influenza virus in the United States and China,” Somsong said.

But the threat of the H3N2 strain was dismissed by Dr Jaral Trinwutthipong, directorgeneral of the Disease Control Department and caretaker permanent secretary for Public Health.

He said H3N2 in Thailand would not be as virulent as in coldweather countries such as those in Europe.

“The H3N2 strain is normally found among Thais and the virus will not be virulent enough to require vaccination,” Jaral said.

“People just need to eat well and get enough rest and don’t need any vaccine against the virus,” Jaral said.

He said the country’s vaccine stock was for Muslims who are leaving the country on pilgrimages to Mecca to comply with Saudi Arabia’s immigration rules.

--The Nation 2004-09-21