Gov't to vaccinate 10 mln people against Influenza A this year: official

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will vaccinate 10 million people against
the influenza A virus within the year to stem the rapid spread of the disease
that has so far claimed three lives in the country, a senior policymaker said
Friday.
Health and Welfare Minister Jeon Jae-hee said of the 13.3 million people,
including young children and pregnant women, who are most at risk, about 75
percent will be vaccinated by December.
She said that Seoul has contacted Britain's GlaxoSmithKline Plc. and secured an
order for 10 million doses of an anti-viral vaccine, with more to be bought next
year.
The official said that full-scale vaccinations will begin in November with 27
percent of the country's 48 million population to receive protection by February
2010.
Authorities said that medical and quarantine personnel, people suffering from
various diseases that inhibit the body's immune systems, young children, pregnant
women, students and soldiers are most exposed to the new strain of the flu that
have affected most countries in the world.
Jeon, also said that South Korea plans to stockpile its Tamiflu reserve so it can
treat 10 million people at any given time.
Seoul said that it will expand the emergency Influenza response team from 15
dedicated personnel to 29. The team will be staffed by officials from the health,
education and science, public administration, labor and culture ministries.
It will be tasked with helping frontline doctors and quarantine workers find and
treat flu cases, and distribute preventative gear like masks.
Related to Seoul's plans to procure Tamiflu, the head of Roche Korea Co. claimed
in an interview with Yonhap News Agency that government procurement practices are
delaying delivery of the anti-flu medicine needed to treat the disease.
Urs H. Flueckiger said South Korean officials usually insist on getting fresh
drugs to ensure maximum shelf life, but this translates into longer delivery
time.
He said delivery of newly manufactured drugs could take place starting in mid
October to December, while it will take less to ship those already in stock that
have a shelf life until 2013.
In addition to the three deaths attributed to the flu, over 3,700 cases have been
reported in the country since the first case was confirmed in April. Of the total
1,000 are currently being treated.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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