With the monsoon expected to hit the city by the first week of June, doctors are advising people to get vaccinated for influenza well in advance and not wait for incidences of swine flu to increase
Serum Institute of India has rolled out the first phase of 2.5 lakh doses of intra-nasal vaccine Nasovac, out of which 1.5 lakh doses have already been dispatched to the market.u00a0
“The city witnessed more than 460 positive swine flu cases between March and April this year and the virus claimed 16 lives. We have decided to produce five lakh doses of Nasovac,” said Dr S S Jadhav, executive director, Serum Institute of India.
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Breathe easy: Serum Institute of India has already dispatched 1.5 lakh doses of Nasovac to the market
Dr Pradeep Awate, swine flu in-charge at Maharashtra Health Directorate said that a spurt in swine flu cases has been observed during climatic changes. “It is highly advisable for people to take all possible precautionary measures including vaccines,” Awate said.
Bharati Dhore Patil, president of Indian Medical Association (Pune) said, “We have advised people to get vaccinated before the onset of the flu season. Moreover, with any vaccine, the body takes 21 days to produce a protective response. The vaccine can be taken early and one should not wait for incidences of swine flu to increase.”
Vijay Changedia, secretary of Chemist Association of Pune District said the demand for vaccines in the market is currently nil.
“We have received Nasovac doses from the Serum Institute. People come forward for these vaccines only when there is a outbreak,” Changedia said. u00a0
Vaccines in market
Other vaccines available in the market are Influvac, Agrippal, Vaxigrip and Vaxiflu-S. These vaccines cost between Rs 500 and Rs 600 as compared Rs 160 for one nasal shot of Nasovac.
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