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Greek minister: Vaccine is weapon against new flu

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-17 09:42

ATHENS: Greece's Minister of Health Marilisa Xenogiannakopoulou was one of the first people in the country to be vaccinated against the A(H1N1) flu on Monday morning on the official premiere of the Greek mass vaccination program.

Special coverage:  H1N1 Flu Outbreak  Related readings:  H1N1 jab plan to be expanded citywide  Beijing gives residents free A/H1N1 jabs  Bahrain reports 7th A(H1N1) fatality  Severe A(H1N1) case cured with ex-patients' blood

"This vaccine is our weapon against the new flu," she said with a big smile on her face at Evangelismos Athens hospital, as she was trying to persuade her compatriots to get vaccinated too while on the same day a 19-year-old female student died of the H1N1 flu.

According to the latest polls, six out of 10 Greeks still do not plan to get vaccinated, thinking that the complications might be more than the protection offered, even though most experts underline that the vaccine is safe. But skeptical Greek citizens are not easily convinced when even some doctors have mixed feelings about the vaccine.

A pilot vaccination program started last week in Greece. The vaccination of medical and hospital staff was launched Monday and on November 23 starts the mass vaccination of high risk population groups. The rest of Greek citizens are asked to get vaccinated starting from December 1.