Health authorities urge citizens to get H1N1 vaccine

 

Primary students nationwide are receiving H1N1 shots.

 

By Zhao Hongyi

The Municipal Health Bureau is urging people to receive free H1N1 vaccinations following the death of a foreign tourist from the flu Tuesday. The campaign is preparing for a surge in H1N1 cases between winter and spring.

The 32-year-old Russian tourist arrived in Beijing on October 28 and died of the flu six days later in Beijing Ditan Hospital, one of the four hospitals which admits foreigners with H1N1 symptoms.

Beijing, along with other provinces, began giving free H1N1 vaccinations in October.

By month’s end, nearly 3.8 million people in the country had bee inoculated, with no reports of serious adverse reactions.

In the capital, more than 160,000 people, mostly students, have received the shots. Only 210 reported suffering discomfort afterward, such as allergic reactions and slight nausea.

“The vaccine is very safe and 85 percent effective,” said Wu Jiang, director of the Local Epidemic Research Institute of Beijing Center for Disease Control.

More teachers, government workers and service sector employees are expected to receive the vaccine in the coming weeks, the health bureau said.

China is a leading country in H1N1 vaccine research, production and inoculation. Governments of the 34 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities continue to call on residents to receive the free vaccine as soon as possible.

People getting it first need to sign documents saying they are doing so voluntarily. Anyone with symptoms like fever, cough, runny nose and allergies will not be vaccinated.

“After receiving a shot, it is est to stay in the clinic for another 30 minutes for observation,” Zhou Jie, a nurse at Ditan Hospital, sad. “Those who have been vaccinated should drink plenty of water but not let water touch the area injected or do strenuous activities.

Foreigners should contact their nearest health facility for more information, Zhou said. “At present the vaccination campaign is targeted at specific groups. Expats should contact nearby hospitals and clinics for more details.”

For questions, call the Municipal Health Bureau at hotline number 12320.