Public Health Ministry To Give 400,000 Doses Of H1n1 Vaccine Monday

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Public Health Ministry to give 400,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine Monday

Public Health Ministry will start giving the first 400,000 doses of vaccine against the type-A (H1N1) influenza next Monday, the permanent secretary said Thursday.

Public Health permanent secretary Dr Phaijit Warachit said the Health Minsitry has imported 2 million doses of inactivated vaccine against the 2009 flu virus from French manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur.

The vaccination programme against the 2009 flu virus will begin for 1,969,750 people who in high risk group including, 371, 424 frontline healthcare workers, 500, 915 women three months into pregnancy, 182,384 people with obesity weight over 100 kilograms, 72,132 disable people, and 842, 895 patients aged 6 month-old to 64 year-old with chronic disease.

-- The Nation 2010-01-07

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[LaoPo]

:D

Latest update of the WHO was on Dec 30, 2009: (not a single word about SE Asia, just southern Asia):

"In East Asia, influenza transmission remains active but appears to be declining overall. Influenza/ILI activity continued to decline in Japan, in northern and southern China, Chinese Taipei, and Hong Kong SAR (China). Slight increases in ILI were reported in Mongolia after weeks of declining activity following a large peak of activity over one month ago. In southern Asia, influenza activity continues to be intense, particularly in northern India, Nepal, and, Sri Lanka. Seasonal influenza A (H3N2) viruses are still being detected in very small numbers in China making up about 2.5% of the influenza A viruses detected there."

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_12_30/en/index.html

LaoPo

[Credo]

So, as some countries are selling off their unused doses, Thailand is finally getting around to getting the vaccine.

[LaoPo]

So, as some countries are selling off their unused doses, Thailand is finally getting around to getting the vaccine.

...too late and unnecessary given the facts by the WHO.

LaoPo

[webfact]

UPDATE

TYPE A (H1N1)

Two million to be vaccinated against flu

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Published on January 8, 2010

Nearly two million people across the country will be vaccinated against the type A (H1N1) influenza in a national effort to combat the disease, the Public Health Ministry said yesterday.

Starting next Monday, the first 400,000 doses of the vaccine will be given to people at high risk to complications of the influenza, said permanent secretary Dr Phaijit Warachit.

Among the 1,969,750 people in the highrisk groups are 371, 424 frontline healthcare workers. The remainder are 500, 915 women three months into pregnancy, 182,384 people with obesity and weighing over 100 kilograms, and 72,132 disabled people.

They also include 842, 895 patients aged from 6 months to 64 yearsold with chronic disease including obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, heart disease, stroke, renal failure, cancer with chemotherapy, thalassemia, HIV/Aids, and diabetes.

The inactivatedtype vaccine has been imported from French manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur.

The vaccination will run for three months from January 11 to March. People in high risk categories can receive the 2009 flu vaccine at 1,250 state and private hospitals across the country. The qualifying pregnant women can receive the vaccine at private hospitals without service charge for the injection and vaccine.

Bangkok has the highest number who will receive flu shots - 310,320 people - followed by Chon Buri with 83,180, Ubon Ratchathani with 64,100, Chiang Mai with 58,560 and Mae Hong Son the lowest with 4,440.

Adults will receive a one shot jab of 0.5 cc in the upper arm, while children aged between six months and nine years will receive two. They will be given the second shot one month after the first.

To prevent adverse reaction from the vaccination - such as anaphylaxis- children aged under six years, people allergic to chicken eggs and medicines are not recommended to receive the vaccine. Anyone with a high fever or moderate illness should also wait until recovery.

One should stay at hospital for 30 minutes after the injection to observe any signs of allergic reaction to the flu shot such as dermatitis irritation or breathing problems. The pulse tends to be soft after a shot.

Department of Disease Control's director general Dr Manit Teeratantikanont said severe complications from the vaccination were rare. Only 1 in 100,000 patients is likely to suffer from them.

Severe complications from flu vaccine are high fever, muscle weakness, and paralysis of the facial expression muscles. The typeA (H1N1) flu vaccine has caused mild to moderate illness such as post vaccination pain, headache, and low fever. Most patients with complications will recover within three days, he added.

The Bureau of Epidemiology's director Dr Passakorn Akarasewee said the Public Health Ministry has instructed his division to set up a surveillance system to monitor any adverse effects from the vaccination.

Thailand has had 192 influenza fatalities, from among 29,921 confirmed cases, from last May to January 2.

The annual World Health Organisation report of December 30 counted 12,220 typeA(H1N1)caused deaths around the globe.

The Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO)'s managing director Dr. Witit Artavatkun yesterday reported the progress of its first phase of human trials to test live attenuated vaccine on 24 volunteers to study safety and immunogenicity.

He said the 24 volunteers were now being given a second dose of nasal spray vaccine manufactured by GPO. The final result of it first phase of the human trial will be released by the end of this month.The second phase with another 400 volunteers is expected to start in February.

-- The Nation 2010-01-08

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[astral]

Are these the doses being offered in Thailand?????

[churchill]

Bangkok - Thailand on Monday began providing free swine-flu vaccines to more than 55,000 people deemed especially vulnerable to the virus, which has claimed 191 lives in the kingdom. The national immunization programme against the H1N1 strain of the flu began at Phranang Klao Hospital in Bangkok with free vaccinations provided to 50 volunteers, mostly pregnant women.

The Public Health Ministry was to provide 55,360 vaccines to vulnerable people nationwide by the end of February, Public Health Minister Paijit Wallachit said.

The ministry has targeted five groups to receive the vaccine: hospital staff, pregnant women, the obese, the disabled and those suffering from long-term diseases.

Thailand purchased 2 million doses from Sanofi Pasteur at 300 baht (9 dollars) per dose after efforts to produce the vaccine locally failed.

The vaccine is to be provided free at all public hospitals while private hospitals are to charge a service fee.

Since swine flu began spreading last year, Thailand has recorded 1.97 million cases.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/30...u-vaccines.html

[Scott]

I thought they were giving 400,000 doses Monday? Now it's 55,000. But they have 2 million doses. Who comes up with these numbers?

[geriatrickid]

I received my attenuated vaccine in mid December. It was sourced from outside Thailand.

Despite a bit of discomfort in my arm for a couple days I am still alive and had no fears as I walked down bangla rd. amidst coughing tourists. Those on a visa run, might wish to consider selecting Singapore as their next flip destination and obtaining the vaccine there. I have confidence in the Singapore ministry of health.

[george]

Update:

Thailand starts H1N1 flu vaccination programme

BANGKOK: -- Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has begun its free vaccination programme to protect the public against Influenza A(H1N1) by administering about two million injections to people in five high-risk groups at state and private hospitals nationwide.

The public health ministry is satisfied with the initiation of the vaccination campaign against Influenza Type A(H1N1) as there has been no report of allergies so far.

Free vaccinations will be offered until March, while pregnant women can get shots until May.

Permanent Secretary for Public Health Paichit Varachit said the H1N1 flu vaccine Panenza, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur in France, is valued at Bt 600 million overall or 300 baht for an individual dose.

Although the vaccine is safe, it needs to take precaution as 43 per cent of those who receive vaccine have chronic diseases, said Dr Paichit. Vaccinations are being offered at 129 state and private hospitals, including 59 hospitals in Bangkok and 70 others in the provinces.

State hospitals will give the vaccination free of charge but private hospitals will only provide vaccination for pregnant women and they must pay a service charge.

Five high risk groups are women who are more than three months pregnant, persons weighing over 100 kg, the disabled, persons with chronic diseases and public health personnel.

-- TNA 2010-01-11

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