Cynthia Busuttil
Swine flu jabs due next month
Malta is getting its swine flu vaccines from pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline early next year after a change of plans over the past month, The Times has learnt.
The 425,000 doses should start arriving at the beginning of January and the whole population should be vaccinated by the first quarter of 2010 after an agreement was reached with the British company last week, health director general Ray Busuttil confirmed.
This marks a change of plans since the end of October, when the authorities had reached a deal with the Dutch government to buy Holland's extra vaccines.
Malta had to scramble to find vaccines after international pharmaceutical company Solvay failed to honour an agreement to provide the country with jabs to counter the global pandemic.
"For the past weeks, the ministry has been evaluating the offers by the Dutch government and GSK to try and secure the earliest possible delivery date for the vaccines," Dr Busuttil said, adding that the doses ordered were enough to cater for the needs of the population.
The first batch of 100,000 doses will be used to vaccinate the people most at risk of complications from the H1N1 virus, which first surfaced in Mexico in April.
Dr Busuttil said the remaining doses should arrive on the island at the end of February or the beginning of March: "The supply and administration of the vaccine will be in line with our declared strategy of vaccinating the population in the first quarter of 2010."
Last week family doctors in the UK were told to step up their swine flu vaccination campaign following the largest weekly increase in H1N1-related deaths.
The batch of vaccines reaching Malta were produced in Europe and have nothing to do with the 172,000 doses of Arepanrix recalled in Canada last week after an unusual number of severe allergic reactions, GSK's local representative said. The recalled doses had been manufactured in a factory in Canada and were different from the EU-licensed Pandemrix.
"It is very positive that the Maltese population can put their mind at rest they will be getting an approved vaccine," the spokesman said, adding that relatively overnight the company was manufacturing a massive number of vaccines against swine flu.
More than 40 million doses jab have already been distributed by GSK around the world.
The Maltese health authorities estimate there are some 300 cases of swine flu every week but there are only 427 confirmed cases since the virus emerged on the island in July because not everyone is being laboratory tested.
However, Dr Busuttil said this was not considered an alarming figure, and the number of deaths remained three.
"It is important to keep stressing the need for people to wash their hands regularly and for people who are ill with influenza-like symptoms to contact their doctor and stay at home for one week," he said.
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Mike Orland
Dec 2nd 2009, 09:58
But i cannot understand why you are talking about swine flu and winter and spring in the same sentence. This is not like the influenza virus that comes around in a particular season. If so why all the chaos about the MTV concert (was not that summer?) and all other forms of gathering and the general panick there has been throughout the year ??? Winter is around only now not since April.
The Canadian Gov. as we all remeber had the choice to go the fast track or wait like Malta decided to do for conclusive testing. Canada did the wrong thing it is proven and yes I am happy of the Maltese govs position to wait. In fact the Canadian Arepanrix Information leaflet reads so:
"Health Canada has authorized the sale of Arepanrix™ H1N1 based on limited clinical testing in humans under the provision of an Interim Order (IO) issued on October 13, 2009."
They issued an interim order for a fast proceedure thinking bnefits outweighed risk. Nasty decisions it seems. However it has been a long known fact on all news of the world that the October batches would have not had all the necessary testing done.
CFarrugia
Dec 1st 2009, 14:50
@Josine Kuyik Turist
I understood the article that Holland has nothing to do with it, the agreement is now with Glaxo Smith Kline directly. Did you not read the part "after a change of plans over the next month"? do you find it fair that in Europe everyone already has the vaccine, only we dont?
Josine Kuijk Tourist
Dec 1st 2009, 14:07
We are from the Netherlands and everyone is being vaccinated in Holland for the swine flu, however some bloggers below are moaning already so i say don't look a feed horse in the mouth and be grateful that GlaxoSmithKiline is sending the extra vaccines due to over stock in my country to Malta and not to another location. I think your government is doing its best for their citizens for the vaccines to be distributed in the coming months, we had to wait too, so be thankful for small mercies. Goed Dag Josine
mario gellel
Dec 1st 2009, 12:14
A FEW MONHS AGO, I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM A MINISTRY SPOKEMAN TO PUT MY MIND AT REST THAT MALTA IS PREPARED FOR SUCH AN EVENT.
NOW WE GET TO KNOW THAT MOST OF THE SWINE FLU JABS ARE TO ARRIVE NEXT FEBUARY OR MAYBE MARCH. THAT'S NEARLY AFTER WINTER.
IS IT NOT LIKE A MAN PREPARING WINTER CLOTHES FOR THE SUMMER HEAT???
C. Farrugia
Dec 1st 2009, 12:03
@ Kevin Zammit
I think you're very wise my friend. I feel you hit a nail on the head with your last comment. Enough said.
marcelle cini
Dec 1st 2009, 10:58
C Farruggia I'd rather be immune to this flu the natural way than take the risk of having series side effects from the vaccine that contains thermasol and squalene.
And is it true that in case of something going wrong after being vaccinated these pharmaceutical companies are given immunity(excuse the pun)therefore they cannot be sued?
Kevin Zammit
Dec 1st 2009, 10:25
"It is very positive that the Maltese population can put their mind at rest they will be getting an approved vaccine," the spokesman said
- Did the Canadians get a non approved GSK Vaccine then?
", adding that relatively overnight the company was manufacturing a massive number of vaccines against swine flu.
More than 40 million doses jab have already been distributed by GSK around the world."
- Somebody seems to be making quite a killing here and its not the virus ....
CFarrugia
Dec 1st 2009, 09:42
I didnt want to get the vaccine anyway because i do not belong to a risk group and do not come in contact with many people through my work and do not work in the health sector either but had I wanted to, I could have got the vaccine in germany, but still i find it a shame that in Malta a European country within the EU, people will be vaccinated when the winter is over.....as i said it takes three weeks for the vaccine to work, till then the virus will have probably mutated (changed) and the vaccine is useless anyway, also because most would have had the virus anyway and be vaccinated in a natural way.... what about the high risk people? persons working in health sector and chronically ill, will they get the virus in January too? Shame.....
J Farrugia
Dec 1st 2009, 09:40
PAY ATTENTION to these anti swine flu jabs. IN Canada there have been serious consequences for those who took the jab with lung and heart fevers. Can someone put our minds at rest?
CFarrugia
Dec 1st 2009, 09:37
sorry ta but this is too late, what does it use to vaccinate people in february and march when spring is coming?
here in Germany most people who wanted to be vaccinated have had the vaccine already
it takes three weeks for the vaccine to work, so people getting vaccinated in the beginning of march will be only protected three weeks after ....