Spain instructs two laboratories 18 million vaccines against influenza A

CANCUN .- The Minister of Health and Social Policy, Trinidad Jiménez, Spain has announced that it has ordered 18 million doses of future influenza vaccine, which would cover up to 40% of the population.

Spain has signed a preliminary agreement with two pharmaceutical companies to deliver the dose when they are serving other European countries, "said the minister at the press during a ministerial conference in Cancun dedicated to finding solutions to the pandemic.

Major pharmaceutical companies currently experimenting with various versions of the vaccine, which are intended to have ready for the fall, when it is expected that the flu outbreak in the northern hemisphere.

Like Spain, other Western countries have also reserved the future production of the vaccine, which is testing the ability of laboratories to produce drugs in record time.

Based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the size of risk groups in Spain, the government has determined the coverage of 30% of the population and have made a reservation for an additional 10% , "said Jimenez.

That means we can vaccinate 18 million people, said a source at the ministry.

Those most affected by the A/H1N1 virus are young people, in contrast to the traditional flu. At particular risk are people with a weak immune system and respiratory ailments.

And pregnant women because some flu symptoms are confused with inconvenience of pregnancy.

Experts still analyzing the best strategy to vaccinate those at risk, according to the minister stressed.

Cases of influenza A in Spain amounted to 760, but Jimenez has warned that the virus has not yet shown its full force in the country.

"Now that the weather conditions do not yet manifest itself in all its intensity," said the minister. "We have to wait for the autumn to see how we have the prevalence rate in our country," he added.

The minister explained that the actual number of cases is "very low" compared to the total number of infected people in the world, more than 77,000, according to WHO.

"That means there is a system for detecting, monitoring and responding very well" in Spain, he added.