Winter holidays would be brought forward due to the H1N1 virus
Maximo Diosque, Health Vice Minister, attended a seminar yesterday at the National Academy of Medicine, where the strategies to curb the H1N1 virus were discussed.
The vice minister stated that “we are working with the Education Ministry to bring forward the winter holidays so that they do not coincide with the peaks of infection.”
Sources from the ministry admitted that “one of the lessons learnt last year was the highly contagious quality of the virus in the classroom, which acted as centres for spreading the virus. For this reason, the alternative of changing the holidays break is being considered.”
The Ministry of Health said “this is a logical measure of precaution, without need to be alarmed because according to the experts, thanks to 2009′s experience and the purchase of vaccines, the impact of influenza this year should be weaker.
Diosque explained that “the intention is to treat those infected with antiviral medicine immediately and to recommend people with symptoms to stay home for seven days.The Ministry of Labour is also working to give a legal framework for any such absences.”
Carla Vizzoti, head of the National Immunization Program of the Ministry of Health reported that “already six million doses were distributedand on 15 April the rest of vaccines bought by the State will arrive. It is a challenge to vaccinate so many millions of people in such a short time. The goal is to to cover the hundred per cent of the poupulation at risk.”
“It is vital that the people from higher risk groups – pregnant women, infants between six months and five years old – come to the hospitals as soon as possible because the vaccine takes between ten and fifteen days to generate antibodies.
She added that those who “are not among the risg groups are safe with the use of antiviral treatement in case of infection. People should not wait to see if they have the virus to receive the antiviral treatment. The laboratory does not have to condition the treatment. Its function is only of epidemiological surveillance. Given the symptoms, everyone will be treated as if they had a confirmed influenza. “
Luciano Di Cesare, a director of PAMI announced that “the PAMI’s vaccine campaign will begin in the coming days. 1,200,000 doses of the trivalent vaccine will be given to those over 65 years old. “
Related News
