'Give my kid any flu vaccine, doc'

Paediatricians at pains to explain to jittery parents they must wait a few days more for Serum Institute of India's child-friendly vaccine

Parentsu00a0in the city are queuing up at paediatricians begging them to vaccinate their children against swine flu since a few children tested positive for the virus recently, but the doctors are asking them to wait a few days more.

The reason is the Serum Institute of India's intra-nasal vaccine that can be administered to children is yet to be introduced in the market.

Schools and rains
With school starting again, parents started pressing the panic button after a couple of children tested positive for the H1N1 virus some days ago. Last year during the monsoon, children passing on the virus at school had been a major cause of swine flu spreading in the city.

The preventive vaccine for H1N1 currently available in the market can be administered only to those above 16 years of age.

The nasal vaccine on its way ufffd it is expected to hit the market by next month ufffd can be taken by anyone over three years of age.

"Though I get at least seven to eight queries a day, I have been able to give the vaccine only to three students who were above 16 years of age," said Dr Dilip Sarda, former president of the Indian Medical Association. "Now, that schools have reopened, parents are worried that children may contract swine flu as kids interact with each other at a close range in classrooms. This fear is driving parents to rush to doctors asking for vaccination for their children."

Some parents have even asked doctors to give their children any vaccine for regular influenza, despite knowing that it is ineffective against H1N1, said Dr Sharad Agarkhedkar, head of paediatric department at D Y Patil Medical College.

"Parents have approached me and asked me to give anything that's available," said Agarkhedkar. "But I have asked them to wait for a week, till the nasal vaccine arrives in the market."

Dr Sanjay Bafna, head of paediatric department at the Jehangir Hospital, said that the anxiety among parents was owing to the high number of deaths among children last monsoon.

"With the onset of the monsoon, cases of cough and cold have increased," he said. "In the past few months, people had forgotten about swine flu, but suddenly they have started calling on us again because schools have reopened."