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Vaccines for winter `safe'

"In addition to quality control in the manufacturing process, the government checks all batches of vaccines delivered from overseas."

Shih Wen-yi, Center for Disease Control deputy director

There is no risk of contaminated British flu vaccines being issued for flu season this year because an order from a suspended British company's laboratories has been canceled, the Center for Disease Control said yesterday.

On Tuesday, British regulators issued a three-month suspension to Chiron Corp, the world's second-largest flu vaccine supplier, after detecting contamination at its plant in Liverpool. The center said that Taiwan had ordered 170,000 doses of vaccine from Chiron.

The government has ordered a total 2.5 million doses of vaccine for this flu season, center deputy director Shih Wen-yi (施文儀) said. He said the relatively small number of Chiron doses will be easily made up by other suppliers.

"We stress that contaminated vaccines of Chiron never entered Taiwan," he said.

Shih said that Chiron would have to compensate Taiwan for failing to deliver the vaccine.

The center has contacted three flu vaccine suppliers to make up the 170,000-dose gap, Shih said.

"The public doesn't have to worry about the safety of flu vaccines here. In addition to quality control in the manufacturing process, the government checks all batches of vaccines delivered from overseas," Shih said.

Health officials said that vaccination remains the best way to fight the flu. Since Tuesday, free shots have been available to senior citizens over 65, people with serious diseases and workers in the avian and husbandry industries.

Since Sept. 15, health workers have received free shots. Since Sept. 22, free flu vaccinations have been available to babies between six and 24 months.

Health officials said that a 30-minute rest is necessary after receiving a shot. Between 1 and 2 percent of people contract a fever after receiving a shot.

In response to reports from Thailand late last month of the world's first probable case of a person-to-person transmission of bird flu, the center said that travelers to areas affected by deadly bird flu should avoid chicken vendors and visits to bird farms.

Officials said that passengers arriving from China, Hong Kong and Macau would have to monitor body temperature twice a day for 10 days after arrival.

But for travelers from Vietnam, Thailand and other countries in the region, the less troublesome entry formalities include filling out a questionnaire to report suspicious flu-like symptoms, such as fever.
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