Gov't aims to give free vaccinations to 9.1 mln people

(ATTN: ADDS with more details in paras 7-9)
SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will move to give free vaccinations to the
roughly 9.1 million people who are most at risk of contracting the Influenza A
virus, which is spreading through the country, a parliamentary source said
Sunday.
A source in the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) said discussions are underway,
with the government to give free shots to 1 million medical and quarantine
personnel, 7.5 million school children and 660,000 soldiers.
In addition, senior citizens over 65, pregnant women and children under five
years old who are on social welfare programs will get the vaccination free of
charge.
The policymaker said that for others, Seoul will charge 10,000 won (US$8.03) per
shot to minimize any burden.
The plans come after the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs said
last week it will take all possible measures to spur local production and import
vaccines to inoculate as many people as possible to contain the spread of the new
strain of flu. Influenza A has killed three and infected over 3,700 people in the
country since April.
The GNP also said that authorization and testing of new vaccines will be
accelerated so people can get shots starting in November instead of January, as
announced earlier.
Other measures being taken by Seoul to stem the spread of the disease include
deferring the draft of young men into the country's armed forces if they are
suspected of having contracted the flu virus, which can spread rapidly inside
barracks or at basic training.
All able-bodied Korean males are conscripted into the armed forces when they
reach a certain age.
The Military Manpower Administration said that one person who has come down with
the disease has been told to join basic training after he is properly treated and
cured, while others can ask for deferment by submitting an official medical
document. At present, there are 606 soldiers who have been confirmed as Influenza
A patients, with 124 undergoing treatment.
Related to actions to speed up protection, a local pharmaceutical company aims to
produce enough Influenza A vaccine for about 6 million people this year.
This, it said, will augment imports that can be given to 5 million people,
pushing the total number of South Koreans who can be vaccinated up to 11 million
in 2009.
To meet its production goal, Green Cross Co. said it plans to get clearance from
health authorities to manufacture vaccines that use "adjuvant" agents.
Adjuvants are pharmacological or immunological agents that modify the effect of
other agents like drugs and vaccines, while having few if any direct effects when
given by themselves.
"If permission is granted by the end of November as we expect, Green Cross will
be able to produce up to 12 million doses of the Influenza A vaccine by the end
of the year," said the company president, Huh Jae-hoe.
Because two doses are need to give complete protection, the amount can inoculate
6 million people.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)