Healthy citizens rush to get flu vaccines in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Flu-vaccine 2014-15 is literally flying off the pharmacists’ counters in the city. Doctors are getting scores of requests for flu vaccination and even healthy adults and teenagers are insisting on getting themselves vaccinated.

Care Hospital at Banjara Hills administers over 400 vaccines per day after examination of the immuno-compromised patients, pregnant women and children below five years of age. Apollo Hospitals, Yashoda Hospitals, Prime Hospitals, Innova Hospital, Omni Hospitals, Rainbow Children’s Hospital and even small nursing homes and children’s hospital are administering 20 to 50 shots per day.

A senior officer said, “We get healthy adults who want to get the vaccine. We tell them that they can fight the virus. But most people simply do not want to listen.”

Care Hospitals is giving the flu vaccine at Rs 450 per dose, whereas the cost in the open market is Rs 780 per shot. Officials at the Rainbow Hospitals have told patients that they will administer vaccine only to children below five years and pregnant women.

A senior doctor in a private hospital said, “The right time to take a flu vaccine is in September.”

Patients need to understand that it takes three weeks to build up the immunity in the body. In these three weeks if they develop flu-like symptoms they have to go to the hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, the Ayush department drug controller has warned and taken action against homeopathy stores for selling medicines for preventing swine flu at Rs 200 to Rs 500 per bottle. Stores across the city are selling homeopathy tablets Arsenic Album 30 to people.

A senior officer of drug control department said, “People must take these medicines only after consulting a doctor.”