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COSTA RICA |
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Vaccination Against AH1N1 In Costa Rica Is
Mandatory For Risk Groups
The AH1N1 vaccination of those in the high
risk group in Costa Rica will be mandatory,
according to the ministerio de Salud, who is
getting ready to receive 1 million doses of
the vaccine, about 900.000 less than had
been expected.
Those in the high risk group have been
identified as Salud (health) workers, those
over the age of 15 with chronic illness or
risk factor (asthmatics and the obese),
pregnant women and diabetics.
Once those in the high risk group have been
vaccinated, the general population will
begin receiving the vaccine accordingt to
the parameters set out by the World Health
Organization (WHO).
Any person deemed to be in the high risk
group that does not want to be vaccinated
will be required to sign a waiver relieving
the State from all responsibility in case of
contracting the virus.
The viceministra de Salud, Ana Morice,
although there is no set date when the
vaccine will be in Costa Rica, but hopes it
will be before the expected second wave of
the virus.
Morice added that the most probable is that
the vaccine will be arriving in lots
beginning in December and the reason for
prioritizing the high risk group, beginning
with health care workers.
The vaccine in Costa Rica is totally free,
available at hospitals and the 970 Equipos
Básicos de Atención en Salud (Ebais) located
around the country.
Earlier this year 700 Costa Ricans took part
in clinic trials by Novartis in development
of the vaccine, later denying a request by
the Ministerio de Salud to provide 50.000
doses for those in high risk of infection.
In total, 1.596 cases of the AH1N1 virus
were confirmed in Costa Rica, while 8.000
others were discarded and 1.275 still
pending. A total 38 people died in Costa
Rica from the AH1N1 virus infection.
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