More than 420 inoculation stations in Beijing will start to
offer influenza inoculations late this month, according to
officials of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and
Prevention.
The period between November and January is the high-incidence
season for influenza, so the number of influenza monitoring
stations in Beijing has been increased from 18 to 38.
All 427 inoculation stations across the city are prepared, the
Beijing Daily quoted sources from the center as saying.
Medical experts have encouraged inoculations among people prone
to influenza infections, such as children and senior citizens. The
inoculation regimen is expected to help in monitoring possible SARS
cases, as the disease has symptoms similar to those of
influenza.
Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said yesterday
that China has been taking various measures to prevent severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS) from recurring.
Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Monday that the? "zero''
report mechanism for SARS has remained unchanged since April 20,
when the system was introduced.
This means that no matter whether there are SARS cases or not,
reports are always requested, according to the ministry.
?"As far as I know, there have been no probable or
suspected SARS cases reported in Beijing or in other places on
China's mainland up to September 8,'' Kong said at a regular news
briefing yesterday.
Recently, there have been rumors that SARS cases have shown up
again in Beijing. The Beijing Office of the World Health
Organization (WHO) has also sent a letter to the MOH, requesting
clarification of the situation.
An official with the health ministry's information office said
on Monday the reason behind such rumors is that autumn is the
season with a high incidence of infectious respiratory diseases and
therefore people are extremely suspicious of symptoms like fever
and cough, both typical SARS symptoms.
However, he pointed out, the high awareness would help prevent a
recurrence of SARS.
Also, drawing on the lessons of spring, health departments at
all levels have been asked to formulate emergency plans in advance
in order to prevent a recurrence of the disease, which may also
have aroused misunderstanding among the public.
If the epidemic reappears, the ministry and local health
departments will release relevant and timely information to the
public, the official said.
WHO Director-General Lee Jong-wook in Manila on Monday called
for enhanced surveillance to deal with a possible recurrence of
SARS.
?"We have to prepare on the assumption that this (SARS)
will come back,'' Lee from the Republic of Korea said in a speech
at the opening of the 54th session of the WHO regional committee
for the Western Pacific, according to Xinhua.
(China Daily September 10, 2003)