Around 100,000 doses of swine flu vaccines are expected to arrive in Malta late tonight.

Monday, 28th December 2009 - 12:57CET

Swine flu vaccines arriving tonight

Around 100,000 doses of swine flu vaccines are expected to arrive in Malta late tonight.

Health care workers will be the first to be vaccinated tomorrow at the Floriana health centre while the inoculation of vulnerable groups will start on Saturday.

Pregnant women and chronic patients can go to their local health centre to receive the jab.

A second batch of vaccines is expected in the first quarter of the year to cover the rest of the population, including children between six months and nine years of age and those over 60 who will need two doses. Everyone should be vaccinated by March.

Since the swine flu was identified in Malta last June, vulnerable people with flu-like symptoms have been treated with the antiviral drug Tamiflu.

While Tamiflu is a treatment for influenza, the GlaxoSmithKline's H1N1 vaccine Pandremix is given to healthy individuals to protect them from the disease.




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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Monday, December 28, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.
Comments
John M. Grima (3 hours, 51 minutes ago)
FOR GOD'S SAKE, END THIS PANIC, (CREATED BY GOVERNMENTS AND MEDIA) JUDGING FROM OUR EXPERIENCE HERE IN CANADA, ONLY ABOUT 4% OF THE POPULATION IN MALTA MAY NEED THIS USELESS VACCINE. THE WORLD HAS BEEN FRIGHTENED ENOUGH BY THIS SWINE FLU. TO PREGNANT WOMAN IN PARTICULAR. DO NOT TAKE THIS VACCINE. REMEMEBER EVEN IF YOU GET THIS FLU. IT IS ONLY A FLU. THE USUAL YEARLY FLU KILLS MANY MORE PEOPLE. MANY MORE, THAT THIS SWINE FLU EVER WILL.
marcelle cini (5 hours, 13 minutes ago)
Please tell us if GlaxoSmithKline is liable to any damage that these vaccines may cause. People have the right to know about the side effects before taking the jab.Then if they choose to have it so be it. Many people abroad have chosen not to take the risk then why should we?
M Galea (6 hours, 59 minutes ago)
Thank you Mr Pace Can the health department review the information submitted in our previous mails below and clarify which sources are deemed to be reliable. There are many families, especially with young children, concerned about this situation.
M Galea (7 hours, 27 minutes ago)

no matter how extreme the side effects may be, i am aware of many families like myself who are not prepared to expose their children to these side effects. The implications of this jab seem to be more dangerous than 'an extreme side effect'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTgyakGAddM
Gordon Pace (7 hours, 35 minutes ago)
May I comment on some of the points raised:

1. Gozo - of course the vaccination process will happen also in Gozo!
2. The vaccine will be available free of charge
3. Those most vulnerable will get priority
4. Vaccination is not compulsory

Since the first cases we have been stating that the A H1N1 virus should be given its due importance. We are therefore encouraging all to get vaccinated.

When reading reveiws or comments about the vaccines one should make sure that the source is a reliable one and also search for which type of vaccine they are referring to.

May I remind readers that one can call on helpline 21324086 to request further information or clarifications.

best regards
Gordon Pace
Communications Coordinator
Parliamentart Secretariat for the Elderly and Community Care
Kevin Abela (7 hours, 45 minutes ago)
Extreme side effects to vaccines are very rare but it does happen!
Just pray before the shot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7k0e3kpoxE
M Galea (8 hours, 1 minute ago)
DR. RUSSELL BLAYLOCK ON SWINE FLU:

"No one should take this vaccine - it is one of the most dangerous
vaccines ever devised. It contains an immune adjuvant called squalene
(MF-59) which has been shown to cause severe autoimmune disorders such as MS, rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus. The newsletter for August covers this and it may not be out yet. This is the vaccine adjuvant that is strongly linked to the Gulf War syndrome, which killed over 10,000 soldiers and caused a 200% increase in the fatal disease ALS (Lou Gehreg disease).
This Virus H1N1 kills by causing a "cytokine storm", which means that it causes the body's immune system to overreact and that is why it is killing young people and is a mild disease in the elderly. (The elderly have weakened immune systems.)
This vaccine is a very powerful immune stimulator and carries the real possibility of making the lethality of the virus much greater.

One's best protection is Vitamin D3..
h galea (8 hours, 22 minutes ago)
People are not interested in swine vaccination.We want to see the Cerfification of GlaxoSmithKline.The people are not guinnepigs to experment on.How safe are these vaccines.How many of the Medical Helth will accept vaccination.Will the Parlamentarians take the risk.
M Galea (8 hours, 28 minutes ago)
i have come across several information about how dangerous this vaccine is, especially in the case of young children and pregnant woman. There are also recommendations by high foreign medical officials NOT to take this vaccine. Is this vaccine going to be compulsory in Malta??
Daniel Goggi (8 hours, 38 minutes ago)
@ A. Briffa

When we talk about health care and nation wide vaccination, Gozo is included with Malta like with everything else.. So don't make a fuss out of nothing. You will get your vaccines like we will do... its only the channel that separates us nothing else...
A Abela (9 hours, 4 minutes ago)
I am leaving back to my country of residence next week. My country does not provide swine flu vaccines. I am a Maltese citizen, and since I do not suffer from any condition, there is no way I can take the vaccine. The authorities should deal with this!
mary Pace (9 hours, 25 minutes ago)
Before taking the injection, I want to be 100% sure ,about ,the side effects, can anyone DOCTORS PLEASE,answer me?because I read a lot about it's side effects , some of them are not very nice,
Jeremy Lanfranco (9 hours, 29 minutes ago)
Hundreds if not thousands have already been affected by the virus already. Doctors each see an average of 10 - 20 cases daily. Presumably these who have already become affected have acquired a natural immunity against H1N1 Virus. So what's the point in vaccinating all the population? Its only those who have not been affected that should take the vaccine.
A. Briffa (9 hours, 57 minutes ago)
u ghawdex xejn - grazzi mill-qalb!
Luisa Zammit (10 hours, 13 minutes ago)
I am a chronic asthmatic and was informed that I will be given the jab with the first intake of injections by presenting a letter from my GP stating that I am asthmatic and what treatment I am taking. However I also have a one year 4 month old child. Will she also be taking the injection in January with the first intake or later on? Thanks