# 2314
Japan has, reportedly, nearly 20 million doses of pre-pandemic H5N1 virus in its stockpile - uch of which will expire in 2009. Authorities are essentially faced with having to use this soon-to-expire vaccine . . . or lose it.
Based on an older clade of the H5N1 virus, it is unknown just how much protection this pre-pandemic vaccine would afford during an H5N1 pandemic. Perhaps a little, it is hoped.
Over the summer 6,000 medical personnel were inoculated in Japan in the largest test of the vaccine to date to see if unwanted side effects would show up.
Nothing serious has been reported.
Now Japan is drawing up a list of 10 to 15 million workers who would, during a pandemic, be at particular risk of contracting the virus and who are considered essential.
Presumably early next year a decision will be made as to how many of these will receive the pre-pandemic vaccine.
According to an article published on September 1st of this year in Japan Today, authorities were considering inoculating 1.5 million medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.
Police, and other public safety workers it said, might receive the vaccine at a later date.
This from The Yomiuri Shimbun
Doctors, SDF personnel top list of people to get flu jabs
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Doctors, ambulance attendants and Self-Defense Forces personnel will be among the first people to receive a flu vaccination in preparation for a possible flue pandemic, according to the government.
The government released a draft plan on how to determine which occupations should be given priority in receiving the vaccination, which will be prepared before and after a flu outbreak.
The draft plan covered 97 occupations that likely would come in contact with flu patients during an outbreak, ranging from doctors and ambulance attendants to waste disposal workers.
About 10 million to 15 million people are expected to be covered by the vaccination program, according to the plan.
The government plans to post details on these occupations on the Web sites of the Cabinet Office and the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, government officials said Thursday.
After soliciting opinions from industry organizations concerned, the government plans to make a final decision on which occupations would be first in line for the vaccinations by the end of the current fiscal year, according to the officials.
The government classified the occupations into three categories.
Category I grouped occupations at high risk of being exposed to a flu during a pandemic, and people at the forefront of efforts to prevent the spread of new influenza epidemics.
This category included workers at hospitals designated to accept patients with infectious diseases, ambulance attendants, SDF personnel, and workers at facilities that will temporarily accommodate people who might have contracted flu overseas.
Occupations listed in Category II are divided into three groups according to their priority for getting the vaccine.
Among those in the first group are the prime minister, cabinet members and heads of local governments.
The second group covers people in medical and welfare services as well as drug manufacturers and distributors. The third group includes Diet and local assembly members as well as people working in the news media and telecommunication services.
Category III includes those providing public services necessary for people's daily life, such as electricity, gas and water suppliers, manufacturers of emergency food and daily necessities during a pandemic, including masks, and government officials.
(Sep. 20, 2008)
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