Egypt Says Developing Own H1N1 Flu Vaccine For 2011
Published: Oct 13, 2009
by Edmund Blair
http://www.postchronicle.com/news/health/article_212261511.shtml?ref=rss
Egypt is developing its own vaccine against H1N1 swine flu for production in 2011 and, in the meantime, will import vaccines to inoculate school children and key public workers, the health minister said.
Experts fear a flu pandemic could have a devastating impact on Egypt, a country of 77 million people who mostly live in the densely packed Nile Valley. Many are in Cairo’s crowded slums.
Egypt, already hard hit by the more deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, has found about 1,030 cases of H1N1 flu, widely known as swine flu, and three people have died from the virus, Health Minister Hatem el-Gabali said late on Sunday.
“We have a plan to produce the first batch (of Egypt’s H1N1 flu vaccine) by April 2011,” Gabali said, speaking after a talk about healthcare reform.
A 35-strong team of experts had been assembled from around Egypt to develop the vaccine, the minister told Reuters.
“We are working now in the lab,” he said. “They (the team) were people working in independent institutions, around Egypt. They have trained overseas but they have not worked together as a team. They have the skills to develop the vaccine.”
“The production (of) the first batch will be about 6,000 units and it will be tested for efficacy around the second quarter of 2011,” he said.
Output from the factory, to be built in Sixth of October City on the outskirts of Cairo, would meet demand in Egypt but could also supply other countries in Africa, he said.
Protect your staff from swine flu – or risk being sued
Posted by Gary Tait in Employment law on Tue, 13/10/2009 - 14:37
It’s the job of every employer to provide a safe working environment
If an employee believed their employer had failed to take appropriate measures to protect them from swine flu (HCN1), they could bring a personal injury claim
Have clear contingency plans for staff absence, continue to raise awareness of the importance of respiratory etiquette and review relevant policies such as sickness, absence and dependant leave policies
Being sued by an employee is a nightmare scenario for an HR team, but one which could possibly come true if Britain is hit by a swine flu pandemic this winter. Health and safety legislation could be used by employees who fear they have been exposed to the virus at work; and a win could cost your company several thousand pounds in damages – plus the negative attention surrounding a high profile and unusual court case.
Of course, it’s the job of every employer to provide a safe working environment. That’s what health and safety laws require. And it’s right for the HR team to pay its part in protecting the company. So let’s look at how employees would be able to sue, and what you can do to protect your company.
At a very basic level, if an employee believed their employer had failed to take appropriate measures to protect them, they could bring a personal injury claim. The employee would have to show that they would not have contracted the disease but for the employer’s failure to protect their staff against it.
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Link is http://www.hrzone.co.uk/topic/employment-law/protect-your-staff-swine-flu-or-risk-being-sued