Wait for turn on A(H1N1) vaccination, DOH appeals to pregnant women

As they started vaccinating frontline health workers against the A(H1N1) virus, health officials appealed Monday to pregnant women and other risk groups to wait for their turn to be immunized. Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral assured them that health officials at the village and town levels are working out schedules for vaccinating these risk groups. "Di ito matatapos sa isang araw. Una ang health workers then mga buntis. Antabayanan ang anunsyo sa munisipyo at barangay kailan ang schedule sa buntis (We cannot finish vaccinating health workers in one day. After the health workers, we will vaccinate pregnant women next. They will have to wait for the schedule being worked out at the village and town levels)," Cabral said in an interview on dzBB radio. Earlier, the Health Department said some 2.5 million pregnant women will be on the priority list for vaccination, after some 420,000 health workers at the national and local levels.

Subsequent shipments will be given to other priority groups such as children six months to five years old, those 60 years old and above, and those with chronic medical conditions. On Monday, the DOH started vaccinating some 420,000 health workers, including doctors, nurses, nursing aides and village health workers. Top priority In an article on the Health Department website, Cabral said frontline health workers carry the highest risk. "Our frontline health workers are at higher risk for getting the disease than ordinary people due to their larger probability of exposure. In addition, they may also transmit the infection to other patients, as well as their families and co-workers, so it is appropriate that they be given priority now that the vaccines are ready for deployment," she said. Some 1.9 million doses of the vaccine arrived during the last week of March and are being shipped to the different regions. Health workers from the regional health offices and local government units have been oriented prior to the distribution of the vaccine. The vaccines represent the first tranche of the promised 9 million doses by the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of an agreement with the Philippine government signed on Nov. 25 last year. The endowment, according to WHO director general Margaret Chan, is part of the WHO’s pledge to make distribution more equitable and fair to protect poor and vulnerable populations in developing countries. No need for vaccine for those already infected Cabral said there is no more need to vaccinate those already with symptoms of flu, saying the vaccination is for those who have not been infected yet. "Di na mababakuhanan kung may flu, ang bakuna [ay] para di magkaroon noon. Kung meron na, di na kailangan ang bakuna (If they already have the flu, they will not need the vaccine. The vaccine is to prevent them from being infected)," she said. Besides, she said the flu is "generally very mild" and those infected are likely to get well in one week’s time. — RSJ, GMANews.TV