Wednesday, February 10, 2010

November 11, 2009 10:41 AM

Algeria To Receive 900,000 Swine Flu Vaccine By Early December

ALGIERS, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- The first 900,000 Arepanrix vaccine doses against influenza A (H1N1) are due to be received early December, the Algerian Press Service (APS) reported, citing the Ministry of Health, Population and Hospital Reform.

"The doses will be delivered progressively over the next six months until May," said the ministry' secretary-general, Abdesselam Chakou, at a press briefing recently.

The order of 20 millions vaccine doses against influenza A (H1N1) virus has been confirmed by Algeria with the British pharmaceutical group GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

The vaccine, Arepanrix, is produced by the British group's Canadian subsidiary.

He added that the schedule for the vaccination campaign against swine flu will be announced shortly.

Vaccination will not be compulsory, but the ministry will spare no efforts to convince citizens that it is important to be vaccinated, he stressed.

-- BERNAMA

We provide (subscription-based) 
news coverage in our Newswire service.