Netherlands buys 34 million flu vaccines

The government is to buy 34 million doses of vaccine against swine flu – once it has been developed, Trouw reports on Friday.


The aim of the vaccine is to prevent between 4,000 and 10,000 deaths next winter, the paper says.
The health ministry order is enough to provide two doses for every man, woman and child in the country. Two doses are thought necessary because the flu virus is a new one, the paper says.
Health minister Ab Klink is expected to sign contracts with drugs manufacturers this week. The vaccine must have been developed by the end of this year, the paper says.
But swine flu is expected to really take off in the Netherlands from September. The national health council recommended in May the entire population be vaccinated.
The Netherlands already has a stockpile of 4.5 million doses of anti-viral medicine.

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