Swine flu spreads, health staff yet to get jab

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, December 24

Even though the state Health Department has started testing people for swine flu, it hasn’t vaccinated its own staff.

Every year, the department vaccinates high-risk heathcare workers, including doctors, nurses and nodal officers. This time, it has not even purchased the vaccines and swine flu cases are already being reported.

The department claims it is waiting for Centre’s approval to ascertain the prevalent virus subtype this season. In the absence of vaccination, the staff at government hospital is reportedly apprehensive about attending to suspected swine flu patients.

As per the National Centre for Disease Control data, Punjab has reported 68 cases and five deaths this year.

Experts say medical workers are exposed to the deadly virus if not vaccinated beforehand. They say the department has already delayed vaccinating the high-risk group, as the body needs at least 21 days to develop required antibodies to fight the swine flu.

A health worker in Patiala said, “They have not purchased the vaccine yet. It will be of no use if given after one month when the virus would have already infected many health workers.”

A doctor at the Patiala health department said, “We have directed private hospitals to test patients for swine flu after they are tested negative for Covid.”

Meanwhile, Dr Gagan Grover, state nodal officer, swine flu control programme, said they were already in talks with various suppliers to purchase the vaccine and were waiting for directions from the Centre. “The trivalent flu shot is already available in market. However, we need the quadrivalent vaccine, which is more effective. We are already in talks with the Centre and the ICMR for information on which virus strain is prevalent this season. As soon as we get some clarity, we will place the order.”