Jordan- Ministry to begin immunising pilgrims today  

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) The Ministry of Health will begin administering the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine to Hajj pilgrims starting today, according to a ministry source.

The source, who preferred to remain unnamed, said a circular was distributed among the ministry's health directorates in governorates, where hospitals and health centres will give priority to these pilgrims for the vaccination, which was just yesterday approved by the Jordan Food and Drugs Administration (JFDA).

Later in the day, the ministry alerted residents planning to perform the ritual to report to health centres as of Wednesday afternoon.

However, according to the World Health Organisation's website, flu vaccines only become effective about 14 days after vaccination, suggesting that pilgrims who receive the vaccine may not develop immunity to the H1N1 virus in time for the Hajj.

The Kingdom's second batch of 2,500 pilgrims is scheduled to leave for Mecca today.

Official at the ministry's headquarters were not available for comment on whether this group will have been vaccinated before they head to the holy cities of Medina and Mecca despite repeated attempts by The Jordan Times.

Officially, Jordan's Hajj quota as set by Saudi authorities is around 6,000 (1,000 per a million of the population) but Health Ministry officials have said the final number is around 10,000.

JFDA approved the use of the first batch of 100,000 swine flu vaccinations received from Novartis after tests proved their safety, a JFDA official said Tuesday.

The agency's director, Mohammad Rawashdeh, said that tests conducted by three different laboratories in the Kingdom were compatible and showed the vaccination to be free of contamination.

"We were keen to finish tests as soon as possible to inoculate pilgrims, as some Arab countries have already started vaccinating their pilgrims," Rawashdeh told The Jordan Times.

Testing a vaccine usually takes two to three weeks, but the administration enlisted several institutions to assist in conducting the tests in order to expedite the process and inoculate pilgrims before they leave for Mecca.

The institutions included the Princess Haya Biotechnology Centre at the Jordan University of Science and Technology, the University of Jordan Hospital and Al Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc.

Rawashdeh added that the administration will follow up with those who will be inoculated to monitor any major side effects that they may develop.

"Around 60 countries across the world have used the same vaccine we imported, and no country has reported serious side effects according to reports provided by the manufacturing company," Rawashdeh noted, adding that the only common side effects reported are mild, including high fever and reddish eyes.

The side effects of 2009 H1N1 flu vaccines are expected to be similar to those of seasonal flu shots, according to the US Centres for Disease Control (CDC). The most common side effects of flu shots are mild, such as soreness, tenderness, redness and/or swelling at the site of the injection.

Some people might also experience headaches, muscle aches, fever, nausea or fatigue. If these problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot is given and may last as long as one to two days.

Occasionally, however, flu shots can cause serious problems, including severe allergic reactions, although life-threatening reactions to vaccines are very rare.

A person who is severely allergic to eggs or any other ingredient in the vaccine should not get the shot, the CDC advised. Pregnant women especially should tell the person administering the vaccine if they have any severe allergies or if they have ever had a severe allergic reaction following a flu shot.

By Khetam Malkawi