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Children under 7 to be given diphtheria vaccination
  • | nguoilaodong, dtinews.vn | July 02, 2020 05:17 PM
All children under 7 years old in Vietnam will be given free vaccination against diphtheria as outbreaks were detected in several southern provinces.


  

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Duong Thi Hong, deputy head of the National Institute Of Hygiene And Epidemiology and head of the National Expanded Immunisation Programme, announced on July 1. This is the first time the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education and Training work together on the programme.

In order to admit their children to nursery schools, parents must prove that their children have been vaccinated as the expanded immunisation programme required.

Children under two years old are given free five-in-one vaccination shot that also includes diphtheria. That's why when diphtheria is still a circulating disease, older children will be the most vulnerable group when the vaccination rate drops. A vaccination programme against diphtheria and tetanus was recently carried out but it has reached only children under seven years old in 30 vulnerable cities and provinces.

According to Hong, in many countries, children have been given the diphtheria vaccination shot when they are 15-16 years old.

"It's also best to be vaccinated before having children. The baby will be given an immunisation. We use vaccines made in Vietnam which are safe and have reasonable prices," Hong said.

Respiratory diphtheria can damage the heart muscle and often put the patients in critical condition. They may die if not treated in time. According to the doctors, patients should go to the hospital immediately if in doubt since the diphtheria symptoms look like common coughs and high fever.

Vietnam has detected 16 diphtheria cases in both children and adults in Dak Nong, Kon Tum and HCM City.

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