Vaccination advised to avoid mix of human and avian influenza
Vaccination advised to avoid mix of human and avian influenza
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
With the rainy season upon us, a doctor has advised people to get
flu shots to reduce the risk of human flu and bird flu viruses
mixing to create a new, deadly virus that can be transmitted from
human to human.
The medical director of International SOS in Jakarta, Uwe
Stocker, said that although seasonal influenza shots could not
protect people from the deadly H5N1 virus that causes bird flu,
they could prevent people from getting both human and bird flu
viruses at the same time.
"People should get the latest seasonal human influenza
vaccine, especially if they want to go to places or countries
where the number of influenza cases is high and where bird flu is
endemic," he said during a seminar on bird flu at the Bina
Nusantara School in South Jakarta on Thursday.
The seminar was organized to get the latest information on
bird flu to parents of students at schools around Jakarta.
Stocker said anyone who was infected with bird flu should be
given a human flu vaccine immediately to reduce the risk of human
flu and bird flu viruses combining to create a new virus.
Experts have repeatedly warned that genes from the human flu
virus could mix with the avian influenza virus in the human body,
creating an entirely new and deadly virus that is transmittable
from person to person.
The wet season, when traditionally more people fall ill with
influenza, increases the risk of this happening.
Experts have also warned that continued contact between
infected birds and humans may eventually result in the virus
mutating into a form that can rapidly spread among people,
sparking a pandemic that could kill millions.
The director for disease control at the Ministry of Health,
Haryadi Wibisono, said that while individuals were encouraged to
get flu shots, the country did not have the capability to launch
a nationwide campaign to vaccinate all Indonesians.
"Each ethnic group, or even every individual, probably needs a
different vaccine. So it would be very expensive to conduct a
national campaign. However, it is a very good idea if people take
the initiative and have themselves vaccinated," he told The
Jakarta Post.
Haryadi added that his office was more focused on bird flu
rather than the human flu.
Both Stocker and Haryadi agreed the best way to avoid the bird
flu virus was to take simple preventative measures, such as
avoiding all direct contact with poultry and frequently washing
your hands.
"Because the bird flu virus is contained in the feces of
infected birds, people should avoid touching surfaces
contaminated with poultry feces or secretions," Stocker said.
The World Health Organization-accredited laboratory in Hong
Kong has confirmed 12 bird flu cases in humans in Indonesia to
date, with seven death since July.
A 25-year-old woman died in Jakarta on Tuesday with symptoms
of bird flu. Local lab tests came back positive for the H5N1
virus, but authorities are waiting for confirmation from the lab
in Hong Kong.
Suggested measures to avoid bird flu virus
1. Update flu vaccinations
2. Avoid all direct contact with poultry
3. Avoid poultry farms and bird markets where live birds are
raised or kept
4. Avoid touching surfaces contaminated with poultry feces or
secretions
5. Wash hands frequently using soap and water
6. Influenza viruses are destroyed by heat; all foods from
poultry, including eggs and blood, should be thoroughly cooked
Source: International SOS-Jakarta