Australia begins H1N1 vaccine drive
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Australia begins H1N1 vaccine drive
Australia has began a nationwide vaccination drive for the H1N1 virus in an attempt to combat a possible outbreak of the disease.
The campaign, begun on Wednesday, is Australia's biggest mass vaccination and comes just a week after China became the first country to start using a vaccine to combat H1N1.
Australia's campaign will start with those most at risk in the pandemic, including health-care workers, pregnant women and the chronically ill.
Nicola Roxon, the country's health minister, said that 5.5 million doses of the vaccine have been delivered across the country, enough to vaccinate about 30 per cent of the population.
"While the new H1N1 virus causes a mild illness in most people, it can have a devastating hard edge," she said.
"It is important that people take this disease seriously and protect themselves and their families by getting vaccinated."
Vaccination safety concern
Many have expressed concern about the vaccine's safety and the vaccination itself is known to have some minor side effects, including mild nausea.
"I think people are just causing all sorts of problems to a very valid vaccination programme"
Alan Hampson, Influenza Specialist Group chairman
There are also fears it could lead to cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disease than can lead to paralysis.
Howevr, Alan Hampson, chairman of the Influenza Specialist Group, dismissed fears over side effects from the vaccination scheme.
"The fears that have been raised about the vaccine, I think, are quite unfounded," he told Al Jazeera from Melbourne.
"Guillain-Barre syndrome has not been seen in any significant way since that time [1976] with influenza vaccines.
"I think people are just causing all sorts of problems to a very valid vaccination programme."
The campaign, begun on Wednesday, is Australia's biggest mass vaccination and comes just a week after China became the first country to start using a vaccine to combat H1N1.
Australia's campaign will start with those most at risk in the pandemic, including health-care workers, pregnant women and the chronically ill.
Nicola Roxon, the country's health minister, said that 5.5 million doses of the vaccine have been delivered across the country, enough to vaccinate about 30 per cent of the population.
"While the new H1N1 virus causes a mild illness in most people, it can have a devastating hard edge," she said.
"It is important that people take this disease seriously and protect themselves and their families by getting vaccinated."
Vaccination safety concern
Many have expressed concern about the vaccine's safety and the vaccination itself is known to have some minor side effects, including mild nausea.
"I think people are just causing all sorts of problems to a very valid vaccination programme"
Alan Hampson, Influenza Specialist Group chairman
There are also fears it could lead to cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare disease than can lead to paralysis.
Howevr, Alan Hampson, chairman of the Influenza Specialist Group, dismissed fears over side effects from the vaccination scheme.
"The fears that have been raised about the vaccine, I think, are quite unfounded," he told Al Jazeera from Melbourne.
"Guillain-Barre syndrome has not been seen in any significant way since that time [1976] with influenza vaccines.
"I think people are just causing all sorts of problems to a very valid vaccination programme."
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