VietNamNet Bridge – People over 10 years old in the districts of Hoang Mai and Thanh Xuan will be provided free oral cholera vaccinations later this week.

Deputy Health Minister Trinh Quan Huan said the Ministry has decided to use cholera vaccinations as a preventive measure in Hanoi. However, as reserves are limited, around 400,000 residents in Hoang Mai and Thanh Xuan districts have been chosen for inoculation first.

These two districts had the highest number of cholera patients during last year’s epidemic. They are also the home of many immigrants. Children under 10 will not be vaccinated because they are at less risk.

Dr. Dang Duc Anh, Vice Head of the Central Institute for Epidemiology, said the first doses will be administered later this week. The second will be supplied two weeks later. He said the vaccine will take effect after one or two days.

This vaccine was made in Vietnam which has been used in some expanded vaccination programs in the central and southern regions in recent years.

According to experts from the Central Institute for Epidemiology, the cholera vaccine is effective within a short time and its preventative success rate is 60-70%. They say the best way to reduce cholera is appropriate food hygiene efforts.

Half a month after the Health Ministry announced the end of the acute diarrhea epidemic, on January 7, the Preventive Health Agency said since December 25, 22 new cases of diarrhea, including 17 acute were detected in six districts of Hanoi. 

(Source: VNE)