Demand for swine flu vaccine grows

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 16

With the mutating of swine flu virus and no longer restricted to any season, the city people are increasingly going in for vaccines. Junior dose of the vaccine followed by adult dose are in great demand.

Influenza vaccines are easily available with doctors. Priced at around Rs 1,000 per vaccine, one shot will have validity for one year. Those who can afford are opting for vaccines, but the question remains about the masses for whom, the vaccine is out of reach.

Dr Rajinder Gulati, senior medical officer, Civil Hospital, Khanna, who is also an expert paediatrician, said, “This year the strain of virus has changed. The virus is no longer limited to winter season. It can affect during any part of the year. The virus is active during summers this year too. So, keeping this in view, we recommend that people should get their children vaccinated against swine flu.”

When asked about including swine flu vaccine in the national immunisation programme, Dr Gulati said when it comes to including vaccines in the national programme they had to be cost effective keeping in view the community at large.

“At present there is no such plan, but may be down the years government can include them in the programme,” he added.

Dr Gulati, however, recommends that children should be vaccinated against swine flu.

Shruti, a mother of six-year-old child, said her son catches infection easily from school. “In the last two months he has fallen sick three times. He catches infection from school. Keeping this thing in mind I got him vaccinated against swine flu. It has become risky as the virus is active in summers as well. After consulting my paediatrician I got him inoculated and will be making it a yearly feature,” she said.

Another city resident, Kanav Gupta said his grandfather, who was above 80 years and a diabetic patient, was also vaccinated for the swine flu. “It is a precautionary measure as the doctor did not want any complications with his health due to old age and diabetes,” he said.

Doctors recommend that those falling in the high-risk groups should get themselves vaccinated.