New flu vaccine ready for distribution

The Hungarian vaccine to protect against the new flu virus A/H1N1 has received the necessary permits for marketing, Health Minister Tamas Szekely told the press on Monday.

The distribution of 650,000 vaccines to GPs offices will begin before the end of the week, Chief Medical Officer Ferenc Falus said. The same amount of the seasonal influenza vaccine will also be supplied, he added.

Falus said that high-risk groups such as pregnant women, health care workers or those with chronic illnesses are advised to be vaccinated against both the new flu and the standard flu virus.

Chief executive of the vaccines producer Omninvest Ferenc Zimonyi said that the vaccine has tested within compliance of international quality standard with the same types of minor side-effects such as a rash or a slight temperature as can be expected with any similar vaccine.

Szekely said that GPs would notify high-risk groups in their district of the vaccines arrival and the national inoculation plan.

The new flu claimed its second victim in Hungary last week.

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