Swine flu vaccination mandatory for all UAE students

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Vaccination against swine flu will be mandatory for all students of private and public schools in the UAE when schools open in September, the director general of the Ministry of Health has said.

Vaccination will be mandatory for the country’s 630,000 students and will be free of charge, Dr Ali Bin Shakar told UAE daily Emarat Alyoum.

Only children over the age of five are included in the programme, which will cost the government around AED3.2m ($871,000).

Students and teachers who contract the virus will be suspended for five to seven days, and authorities could order schools shut in the case of a severe outbreak, Shakar added.

The UAE Ministry of Health has launched an awareness campaign to educate students, parents and teachers about the disease.

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Posted by: Nabil

I am no medical advisor.. yes i read the net.. but not a single source though!! on top of that.. isn't THIS also a post on the net or should people ignore it and assume it is all fake? This is not a new virus which has developed now. It happened in 1970 and 1918 and the reason people died for the drugs were not availabe or improved as it is now. We are all afraid that the virus might hit us or our beloved ones, but how can you force the vaccine while nations and scientists are still doubting its effectivness? Not only that, but also it will lead to side effects which might cause serious illness to humans. read the latest articles... look for videos on youtube for this vaccine and see for yourself how doctors (who developed this vaccine) are refusing to take it... doesn't that make you think twice and take precautions until the reliable one is available? check the below and other videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56wuIgJGvrM

Posted by: javed

I do agree with ?DR. RSUMSUUSEN IN KUWAIT?, that more transparency of the issue and that we are to still see the outbreak especially in summer to winter period, and that no country, in the mid-east or not in the mid-east, is ready for this outbreak especially with the financial crisis at hand. ?Bittu? does have a point to close the schools in the region for about 2 months, but the question about its impact on the childrens education for the remaining academic year of 2009/2010 and the financial issue and also the legal matters that will surface. As a personal point of view I would say that closing the schools until October, opening schools 6 days of the week instead of 5 days and schools would charge for 8 months instead of the 10 months. It is understood that this WILL cause a chaos for the financial status of the schools, but if there are no children then what is the point of having schools? As for the adults just try to reduce going to crowded places, keeping in mind that the next 5 months is full of religious, social, etc functions and events. People remember this is all a chain reaction, don?t think you are not in it, because you are.

Posted by: Bittu

The UAE governing authorities should close down the school opening for atlease 2-months to track down the spread since it affects the younger ones very badly. Private schools are opening up just for the concerning on the loss of fees. As a parent we are ready for the fees rather to get infected

Posted by: fahad

All of you who became an expert advice ministries of health in the region are in contact with WHO to now better or you are just reading through the net. This is 2009 and not the 70's or 1918. things do change to better and drugs are vailable that to better immun people that it used to be 30 or 90 years a go. you are advising that when a vacine is discovered and approved by WHO dont take it!!!! very smartstep yeah. for your information althought it is a big business for pharma companies but making a vaccine is faster now becouse of communications between world health authourities and developing technologies....or you dont believe this as well but belieave you own thought!!!! get real for your own good

Posted by: DR. RSUMSUUSEN IN KUWAIT

The UAE and the rest of the Middle East are going to have a pandemic of epic propotions when schools reopen. No country here is ready for what is coming. Today there is no vaccine for H1N1 as the strain is still mutating. I don't travel, don't even go to to the airport for any reason and I avoid crowds. Which country in the Middle East has bought the vaccine yet ? Will any MoH respond honestly to this question?

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