After Fluvir, vaccines go out of stock in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: After Tamiflu tablets, its vaccines against the deadly H1N1 viral that are getting scarce now. The vaccine is manufactured to counter the viral strain of H1N1 virus and as the virus undergoes a mutation, the vaccine also needs to be updated. The currently available vaccine expires in April 2015. A lack of production has led to an acute shortage of the vaccine across the city. However, there's been an increasing demand for vaccination, with growing public awareness. Nightingale Home Health Services alone administered vaccines for 15 individuals since February 1 and has been getting calls from members, seeking vaccination. Besides, the vaccine renders immunity only three weeks after being injected. Which means that even after taking a vaccine, a person may get infected within three weeks if in close contact with an infected person. "Vaccination is a voluntary initiative. Those who travel a lot and work in crowded places have sought vaccination through our home healthcare services. But the vaccine expires in April 2015 and thus, there's been a shortage. The need of the hour is to spread awareness of self-hygiene and not panic," Dr L Sreenivasamurthy, medical director of Nightingales Home Health told TOI. BBMP's H1N1 helpline set up to educate the public and bring about awareness has also been getting calls on vaccination. Dr Jacob Varghese, head of the department, emergency medicine, Narayana Health City, told TOI that not everyone needs to be vaccinated. "Only those who are asthmatic and suffer from geriatric illnesses are vulnerable to H1N1 infection. Healthcare professionals need to be careful as there are chances they may get exposed to the virus while treating infected patients. There is no need to panic. Besides, the vaccines need to be changed every year," he said. Narayana Health City has already taken the initiative to vaccinate its staff. Vaccinating the family members of infected persons won't help much as they would already be exposed to the infection, he said. Influvac, Vaxigrip, Influgen are vaccines available in India, manufactured by different pharma companies. The vaccine works against seasonal flu as it provokes the body's immune response to the flu virus without causing illness. The cost of the vaccine is Rs 900. In January 2015, the Andhra Pradesh government took up the initiative of vaccinating its health staff working in government hospitals in the wake of the H1N1 pandemic. But the Karnataka government is yet to wake up to it, though private hospitals like Manipal Hospitals and Narayana Health City have started a staff vaccination drive. A senior officer from the health directorate said the state is yet to take up the move. "The vaccine has to be given to family members of the infected. The government hasn't yet thought about vaccinating its health staff. We will look into the matter," the officer said. -TOI