| |
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
SINGAPORE: Although the government has approved the use of H1N1 vaccines for young children, polyclinics and private clinics are seeing a low demand for the vaccines. They said there is an average of only two requests per day.
The nine polyclinics under the Singhealth Group have seen a total of 121 children below 10 years of age receive vaccinations for the H1N1 virus. This comes up to an average of two children receiving the jab per polyclinic per day.
Dr Mark Ng, consultant family physician, Outram Polyclinic, said: "Parents often asked 'My child is weaker than a normal child. Can he withstand the vaccination?' Our general response would be the risk your child is undertaking would not be any different from those children who do not have these conditions."
Raffles Medical Group said its 42 clinics have seen a total of 20 patients per day coming in for H1N1 vaccinations, with children making up less than 10 per cent of that group.
Said one man in the street: "The school is quite a safe environment. They have put in place preventive measures. I can wait a while longer."
According to the clinics MediaCorp spoke to, there have been no reports of any children suffering serious side effects from the H1N1 vaccine.
They said the low demand for the vaccines could be due to many families flying overseas for their vacations and they are expecting more children to come forward for their vaccinations after the school term starts. - CNA/vm
|
