AH1N1 Vaccination Mandatory For Risk Groups

The AH1N1 vaccination of those in the high risk group in Costa Rica will be mandatory, according to the ministerio de Salud, who is getting ready to receive 1 million doses of the vaccine, about 900.000 less than had been expected.

Those in the high risk group have been identified as Salud (health) workers, those over the age of 15 with chronic illness or risk factor (asthmatics and the obese), pregnant women and diabetics.

Once those in the high risk group have been vaccinated, the general population will begin receiving the vaccine accordingt to the parameters set out by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Any person deemed to be in the high risk group that does not want to be vaccinated will be required to sign a waiver relieving the State from all responsibility in case of contracting the virus.

The viceministra de Salud, Ana Morice, although there is no set date when the vaccine will be in Costa Rica, but hopes it will be before the expected second wave of the virus.

Morice added that the most probable is that the vaccine will be arriving in lots beginning in December and the reason for prioritizing the high risk group, beginning with health care workers.

The vaccine in Costa Rica is totally free, available at hospitals and the 970 Equipos Básicos de Atención en Salud (Ebais) located around the country.

Earlier this year 700 Costa Ricans took part in clinic trials by Novartis in development of the vaccine, later denying a request by the Ministerio de Salud to provide 50.000 doses for those in high risk of infection.

In total, 1.596 cases of the AH1N1 virus were confirmed in Costa Rica, while 8.000 others were discarded and 1.275 still pending. A total 38 people died in Costa Rica from the AH1N1 virus infection.

Source

By Lance Harrell. Posted on Saturday, November 14th, 2009. Filed under Health. Tags: ah1n1, ah1n1 costa rica, costa rica, costa rica headline, costa rica health, costa rica news, costa rica times, flu costa rica, flu vaccination.