The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that elementary school students are scheduled to receive the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccine beginning November 16, 2009. The immunization campaign will be held at 192 elementary schools in 24 cities and counties in the nation.About 90% of the students are willing to receive the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccine, while only 80% of the students are willing to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine.The primary reasons for refusing the H1N1 vaccine include allergy and current sickness.

To familiarize teachers and students with the immunization process, CECC has produced an 8-minute short promotional film that details the 6 steps for school children to get immunization: obtaining parental consent, confirming student identity, undergoing physician’s assessment, getting vaccinated and participating in 30-minute post-vaccination observation.Copies of the promotional film have been distributed to all the cities and counties in the nation.In addition, the film has also been uploaded to the CECC website for reference and download by the public and can be viewed on websites such as YouTube (Search for “校園疫苗接種” (Campus Immunization) to find the film).

Besides elementary school students, immunization of pregnant women, pre-school children and people with major illness/injury is also scheduled to begin on November 16, 2009 at about 2,000 contracted hospitals administering the H1N1 vaccine.These targeted groups can receive immunization at the contracted hospitals upon presentation of their ID card and National Health Insurance card and no registration fees are necessary.To facilitate locating the contracted hospitals, CECC has listed all the contracted hospitals on Google Maps.

In regard to an outbreak of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) reported at a middle school in Yunlin County, CECC indicated that the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) had sent personnel to conduct an epidemiological investigation at the school.After conducting an initial investigation, a total of 158 people from the school were found to have disease onset during November 1 and 12, 2009.A total of 71 people were tested positive for influenza A by the rapid diagnostic test and all of them displayed mild symptoms. Further, four classes were suspended according to the national standards for class suspension.Currently, a total of 133 people from the school still have symptoms.The outbreak has been brought under control by the relevant authorities.The school has scheduled to conduct a mass immunization campaign against pandemic influenza A (H1N1) on campus on November 23, 2009.