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40% Of AH1N1 Vaccine In Costa
Rica Not Used
Notwithstanding the call by Salud (Health)
officials for people to get vaccinated
against the AH1N1 flu virus, the ministerio
de Salud says it still has 80.000 vaccines
from the original purchase and will not be
buying the additional 200.000 it had
planned.
The first batch of almost 200.000 doses the
AH1N1 vaccine arrived in Costa Rica in late
January and health officials say that 40% of
the doses are still at hospitals and
clinics.
The first 199.333 doses where part of the
initial order that Costa Rica had placed
with the Panamerican Health Organization,
that made wholesale purchases from the
manufacturers on behalf of Latin American
governments. In total Costa Rica has asked
for 1.8 million doses.
It appears that a majority those that should
be vaccinated have not responded to the call
by health officials to visit their nearby
clinic.
What worries the ministerio de Salud is
that, even though the risk of being infected
with the virus is almost over, the high risk
group continue to be vulnerable in the case
of another outbreak.
Pregnant women, the obese, the hypertense,
those suffering from heart conditions and
asthma are all included in the high risk
group and is recommended they be vaccinated.
The vaccine is free of charge and can be
obtained from state hospitals and clinics.
The ministerio de Salud has said that
vaccine will be available for purchase at
pharmacies and anyone can then purchase the
vaccine.
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