RIYADH: The Ministry of Health announced on Saturday that it would launch a nationwide swine-flu vaccination campaign among students on Dec. 19.
“The initial target of the campaign will be primary and kindergarten children and those with special needs, as well as teachers,” the announcement said.
The vaccination is not compulsory and requires parental consent. However, the ministry stressed that the vaccine is perfectly safe and it strongly urged patents to agree to the vaccine because a third wave of the global swine flu pandemic is expected this winter.
However, in some cases, recipients of the vaccine will exhibit minor symptoms, such as redness around the injection area, minor muscle pain or headaches.
Any symptoms will abate within 24 to 48 hours after the injection. The vaccine should not be administered to those who have allergic reactions to eggs.
The campaign is being conducted in coordination with the Ministry of Education and will target students at all levels.
The ministry said that this campaign is the second stage of the approved national plan to vaccinate the nation against swine flu.
The first stage was implemented before the beginning of the Haj season and allocated to people involved in pilgrimage activities, like health workers, local pilgrims, and most vulnerable groups of people in Makkah and Madinah, as well as pregnant women and children under the age of six.
The elderly, and persons with respiratory or cardiovascular problems would also be given priority. So far, over 65 million people around the world have taken the vaccine and show no severe complications resulting from the treatment.
