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SINGAPORE: The demand for H1N1 vaccinations at polyclinics has soared since Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced on Sunday that the first batch of vaccines will arrive in two weeks.
About 400 polyclinic patients are now on waiting lists for the jab, but the demand is also high at private clinics.
One general practitioner's clinic started receiving queries about the H1N1 vaccine two months ago and so far almost 150 patients have ordered it.
One million vaccines against the H1N1 virus will arrive in Singapore by Christmas. Of these, 200,000 will be reserved for frontline staff, such as healthcare professionals, while 800,000 will be made available to the public.
And the patients at the clinic were all informed that they may not receive the vaccine should there be a shortage.
Dr KK Tan, group chief medical officer, Robertson Medical Group, said: "I think we can very well afford to give everybody the vaccine on a first-come, first-served basis. But if demand exceeds supply, then we will have to prioritise it according to MOH's guidelines."
People with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women are classed as at-risk groups by the Health Ministry.
But not everyone is planning to have the vaccine.
One man in the street said: "The people who died were already sick. They weren't just dying of H1N1. Most of the cases I read about, they already had something wrong with them."
"I don't think it's necessary because I don't think it's a threat in Singapore," said another.
Those under 18 years cannot be vaccinated against the H1N1 virus as clinical trials in children are still ongoing. But doctors said the jab is safe for adults and is no different from the regular vaccines for seasonal flu. - CNA/vm
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