Human-use H5N1 vaccine to come six months later
( 2004-02-05 13:37) (Xinhua)
Chinese Vice Minister of Health Wang Longde said in Beijing Thursday human-use H5N1
vaccine will be produced at least six months later.
Answering questions at a press conference, Wang said the date was based on
information from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Even if the vaccine is produced, it does not mean a 100 percentprevention
rate, said Wang, according to statistics from the United States, the chances for
human-use vaccine to control virus average to 56 percent.
It's important to take integrative measures to control the epidemic instead
of pinning too much hope on the vaccine, Wang said.
China has issued emergency programs to prevent bird flu from spreading into
human beings before the Spring Festival. Any human patients spotted will be
isolated immediately and those having close contact with them will be traced
down and receive medical observation.
This is the critical step to control the epidemic, Wang
added.
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