Swine flu vaccine
Decision this week on doses for children
Health authorities are this week expected to decide whether children will be given one or two doses of the swine flu jab, The Times has learnt.
"We will be meeting this week to take a decision," health director general Ray Busuttil said.
Initially, it was believed children would need two doses of the vaccine against the influenza that is causing a global pandemic. But new evidence is showing one dose could be enough.
In fact, the UK decided in December to give only one dose amid fears a second could lead to high temperature.
Although children under 10 are being vaccinated with half the dose given to adults and older children, it still provides enough immunity.
According to Dr Busuttil, local experts are still analysing the evidence before deciding whether to go for a one- or two-dose approach.
"We will take a decision based on the evidence," he said.
Dr Busuttil said the second dose of the vaccine had to be taken at least three weeks after the first, and there was therefore no rush to decide on the approach.
The first batch of jabs arrived in Malta at the end of December and was used to vaccinate health care workers, pregnant women and people suffering from chronic diseases.
The second batch arrived last week and last Thursday the government opened vaccination for the rest of the population.
Just over 63,500 people were vaccinated by Sunday, figures from the Community Care Parliamentary Secretariat show. But this is below authorities' expectations.
"I was hoping for a better uptake," Dr Busuttil said, although he would not be drawn into saying what the reason for the lower than expected uptake was.
"There might be a number of factors that might be influencing people but I do not know what these are," he said.
The World Health Organisation recently came under fire for declaring a pandemic which has enabled drug companies to rake in millions following the worldwide scare.
Council of Europe health section head Wolfgang Wodarg said pharmaceutical firms made enormous gains while countries squandered their health budgets to vaccinate millions of people against a relatively mild disease.
But the WHO has defended the way it handled the pandemic and its flu expert, Kenji Fukuda, denied there had been improper influence from drug firms.
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C Attard
Feb 3rd 2010, 13:35
It's funny how the vac is not recommended for kids under 6 months, BUT they gave it to pregnant women, that have a developing baby in effect younger than 6 months???
@JF Grech
I don't think you missed it, because I have been checking this site every day. So far I haven't seen anything!
C Grech
Feb 3rd 2010, 08:47
Chilren in the UK are not being given a second dose as it was found that many childrend were having more serious reactions to the vaccine after this second dose. More info here:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/dr_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@ab/documents/digitalasset/dh_109839.pdf
or here:
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Safetyinformation/Swinefluinformation/index.htm
This was also reported by EMEA, the European Agency: http://www.ema.europa.eu/influenza/home.htm
JF Grech
Feb 3rd 2010, 08:39
Once again it is clear that we are part of a big experiment - the question is do you want to participate? Better to eat right, exercise well, avoid contact with the ill and practice good hygiene then to succumb to fear and the next new decision by the WHO. Advice is ever changing and we should not be fooled by the "experts" into taking "jabs" when there is uncertainty about who should take them (pregnant women?) and how many doses. What ever happened with the story about the young man who passed away shortly after his "jab" here in Malta? What was the outcome? It seemed that story was dropped right away or did I miss it? Or are we still waiting for results?
marcelle cini
Feb 2nd 2010, 10:24
http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/NewsManager/EMB_NewsManagerView.asp?ID=5209&L=2
this is the link of the European council parliamentary assembly about the swine flu pandemic .Click on the video to watch the session.