H1N1 flu jabs soon in Qatar

Medical experts, who took part in a discussion on H1N1 flu, have advised against postponing the reopening of schools after the summer vacation in Qatar, but urged the health authorities and parents to remain “vigilant” to confront the disease on a case-by-case basis.
Most of the schools in Qatar are scheduled to begin their new academic year on September 26.
The discussion was organised and hosted by the Friends of Environment Centre at its Green Tent, where contemporary issues of local interest are taken up during the month of Ramadan.
While some of the speakers accused the media of “exaggerating” the threat from H1N1 virus, commonly called swine flu, others believed the matter should be taken seriously to prevent catastrophic consequences for the humanity.
Dr Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Thani, public health director at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), warned against “unnecessary” panic but said that people should not be nonchalant too.
He said that Qatar would import this month “sufficient” quantities of medicines, mainly H1N1 vaccine, to immunise a large section of the population, beginning with pregnant women and children.
Dr Mohamed said that Qatar had taken necessary measures to tackle the disease, including awareness campaigns.
Dr Abdullatif al-Khal, senior consultant for infectious diseases at HMC, told the gathering that 99% of the swine flu patients had “completely recovered” and pointed out that the mortality rate from the virus was “still low”. However, he said that the “real picture” of the disease would emerge only during the coming winter, “when the virus is expected to spread faster”.
He urged the public to seek medical help “without delay” in cases of symptoms like high temperature or coughing. Dr al-Khal said that two-thirds of the recorded swine flu patients were under the age of 49, while the ordinary flu infected people above 65.
Doha-based scholar, Dr Ali Muhyealdin al-Quradaghi, said that a group of Muslim scholars had decided after long and serious discussions with WHO that it was not necessary to cancel the Umrah or Haj this year.

Source: Gulf-Times.com