Health Ministry prepares to deal with second wave of pandemic flu

The Ministry of Health is preparing to cope with the second wave of pandemic influenza expected in April. The authorities plan to vaccinate 1.1 million persons forming part of risk groups, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference, Deputy Minister of Health Mihai Magdei said the first 50,000 vaccines against pandemic influenza A(H1N1) of the 400,000 provided by Romania will get to Moldova on Thursday or Friday. A group of experts of the Ministry of Health will check the vaccines, the prescriptions and the utilization method. The vaccination will start in a day or two. The World Health Organization also donated 400,000 vaccines to Moldova. About 60,000 medical employees will be vaccinated initially. Afterward, there will be immunized the children younger than two, the pregnant women and other risk groups. Magdei said not all the people can be vaccinated. Not even the richest countries can immunize the whole population. Moreover, there are not enough vaccines against pandemic flu. Measures will be taken in parallel to prevent the spread of the virus. The vaccine is an element of the fight against flu. The vaccination of at least 800,000 persons will enable to reduce the risk of infection in April, the deputy minister said. The Antiepidemiological Committee decided there are no reasons yet to declare an epidemic in Moldova.