Flu inoculation is civil duty of Russian citizens - Onishchenko
GENEVA, November 9 -- Russian citizens should view flu inoculation as "their civil duty," Chief Public Health Official Gennady Onishchenko told Itar-Tass in Geneva on Tuesday.
Onishchenko is the head of the Russian delegation to an international bird flu conference.
The attitude to flu inoculation should be especially serious because of the danger of a flu pan-epidemic resultant from a possible bird flu virus mutation, Onishchenko said.
He described as immoral the speculative increase of the flu inoculation costs. "I have heard terrible news that the price of flu inoculation reached 1,200 rubles. This is immoral as the vaccine costs 60-80 rubles," he said.
Onishchenko lauded the Geneva conference. He said the forum was targeted at preparations for a flu pan-epidemic and gave a systemic analysis of the problem. He told the forum delegates that the bird flu monitoring system should be upgraded, in particularly, in Central Asia.
There will be a flu pan-epidemic sooner or later, Onishchenko said. He said that might happen in three months or three years. "The most optimistic forecast of the development of a vaccine against the new flu type is six months after the appearance of the pan-epidemic strain," he said.
First medical aid will be of paramount importance in case of a flu pan-epidemic, Onishchenko said. "The readiness of countries to offer first medical aid will determine their success," he said. "So, we should prepare district physicians and infectious disease specialists and equip them with diagnostic instruments," he said.
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