Vaccines arrived against influenza

Since last Tuesday, the country received 1 920 480 doses for adults against influenza H1N1, influenza B and AH3N2, which are part of 3.7 million doses that the Ministry of health expected to distribute free from mid November and until the end of the next December, for the public vaccination campaign.

For the next week is expected the arrival of 1′ 779.520 Pediatric doses.

Carlos Torres, Head of the Expanded Immunization Programme (e), said that prior to the start of the campaign will be a training medical personnel and  “during the campaign will vaccinate people between 6 months of age and 17 years old, older than 65 years, pregnant women, chronically ill patients and health personnel, belonging to groups at risk”, according to the official.

The Imported vaccines are certified by the World Organization of  Health (who) and were purchased from the Rotary Fund of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), who also bought from several laboratories through an international tender.

Torres explained that people who already were vaccinated last year must do it again in November since “the flu virus mutates in order to evade the immune system, to not be destroyed”.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, since the appearance of the H1N1 flu in the country in 2009, this disease remains one of the seasonal virus. “The symptoms of this virus are similar to those of influenza or seasonal flu and include: fever, sore throat, cough, sneezing, muscle aches, runny nose, severe malaise, vomiting and diarrhea.” Severe forms are accompanied by respiratory difficulty of sudden appearance”.