200,000 frontline staff given anti-virus shots

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: About 200,000 personnel on frontline duties have been vaccinated against the seasonal flu virus, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.
They included officers with the Police, Civil Defence Department, Armed Forces, Fire and Rescue Department and Immigration Department, he added.
Liow said these personnel were responsible to ensure that the country’s basic services ran smoothly in the event of a pandemic, as outlined in the National Influenza Preparedness Pandemic Plan 2006.
He added that since 2007, frontline personnel had been given annual vaccinations against seasonal flu that contained components of the influenza A (H3N2), influenza A (H1N1) and influenza B viruses.
“However, the seasonal flu virus vaccine is only effective against the known viruses found in the environment,” he said.
“While it not effective against the new strain of the influenza A (H1N1) which is spreading worldwide now, the vaccination process can help protect a person against the risk of an influenza virus mutating,” he told Liang Teck Meng (BN-Simpang Renggam) in Parliament yesterday.
Liow said the World Health Organisation (WHO) and pharmaceutical companies were striving to produce a vaccine to combat the A (H1N1) virus.
“The vaccine is expected to be ready by the end of this year.”