While Israel has ordered millions of doses of swine flu vaccinations, they will only be arriving in the early part of 2010 at best, well into the winter. A NIS 20 million deal was signed last week with a French firm, but the vaccines are still in the developmental stage and delivery is not expected before January 2010. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman stated “we do not know exactly when the vaccines will be arriving, but it appears in the early part of 2010”.

Having reached agreement in a meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the funds for the first NIS 20 million order will not come from the health budget, but from a special governmental allocation.

Litzman stated that ongoing Israeli efforts in Europe accompanied President Shimon Peres’ intervention, who personally knows the heads of one pharmaceutical company, will expedite delivery, at least for enough doses of the vaccine to cover healthcare community workers and the higher-risk population.

MK (Labor) Ofir Pines over the weekend turned to the State Comptroller’s Office, accusing the government of foot-dragging in the decision process to order the vaccines, insisting too much time has been permitted to pass until an order was made, placing Israel too far down on the list of nations waiting for vaccinations.

To date, the United States, Britain, Germany and France have purchased options for the purchase of enough doses for all citizens. Britain is contemplating vaccinations for its 8.5 million school children as a prophylactic move to prevent the spread of the illness.

In other flu news, the IDF, an unspecified number of soldiers in Prison 4 have been diagnosed with the illness and placed in quarantine. Soldiers appear to be angered over the decision not to hospitalize them, claiming the decision by IDF authorities represents an unacceptably light-handed IDF attitude towards the illness.

In another swine flu-related item, a 25-year-old women admitted to Assaf HaRofeh Hospital in serious condition with the illness was released today. He son was delivered by C-section and he was not infected and in good health.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)