Reluctant medicos advised to take H1N1 vaccine as cases of swine flu infection among healthcare workers on the rise
Reluctant medicos advised to take H1N1 vaccine as cases of swine flu infection among healthcare workers on the rise
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The H1N1 vaccination programme has received a cold response from the medical fraternity. Senior medical officials in the city are now warning medical staff that if they do not take the vaccine, they may be asking for trouble as swine flu infections are once again on the rise.
According to senior officials in the state swine flu cell, fresh H1N1 infection cases are being reported among doctors and paramedics handling swine flu patients.
"Medicos should realise that it is better to get vaccinated now than getting the infection," said Dr C A Kante, officer in charge of the swine flu cell.
"At least five resident doctors and staffers in the hospital have got infected recently," said Dr Arun Jamkar, dean of Sassoon hospital. "Not only does it pose a threat to life but also means loss of working hours. If doctors keep falling sick, how will we handle patients?"
Control room officials said cases had been reported from Bhartiya Vidyapeeth Medical College as well, which the hospital authorities confirmed. "Four people are infected. Not a single person from the hospital has taken the vaccine so far," said a doctor in the swine flu ward.
Apprehensive docs
Dr M V Nagare, civil surgeon at Aundh Civil Hospital, where the vaccination first began, said that two doctors and five staffers were down with swine flu.
"People were apprehensive and we had to take the vaccine ourselves to prove it was safe," said Nagare. "May be, medicos are taking the virus too casually."
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