Saturday, November 14, 2009

Ready for your jabs

The regional health authority has taken delivery of 450,000 doses of the swine flu anti-viral drug in time for the launch of the vaccination programme on Monday, November 16.

The first tranche of the anti-viral drug has been distributed to medical centres throughout the Valencia Region and one million people are expected to be vaccinated.

Of these 78,990 are children aged between six months and 18 years who are suffering from a serious illness, 499,511 elderly people, also with serious illness, and the rest, 413,956 made up of pregnant women, workers in the health sector, those in the emergency sector such as police and firemen and anyone aged between 18 and 60 who has a chronic illness.

Health councillor, Manuel Cervera, said a 24-hour hotline, 900 100 355, has been set up so people who are not sure if they have swine flu or not can call to verify their symptoms.

He added that to date 1,924 people have used the service.

Health minister, Trinidad Jiménez, urged everybody in the target groups to go to their medical centres and have the anti-viral injection. She also said an additional 400,000 doses that are even safer for pregnant women have been acquired.

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