Malmö: Immigrants fear H1N1 vaccine

Malmö: Immigrants fear H1N1 vaccine


Rumors of dangerous side affects are apparently preventing immigrant families from getting their children vaccinated against H1N1 in Malmø (Sweden). The vaccines are being sent back from the Rosengård district in Malmø.

According to Claudia Varga, one of the international health spokespeople, who is informing immigrants about the disease in their own language, there's a rumor being spread that it's dangerous to get vaccinated.

According to the rumors the vaccine can cause cancer, sterility and paralysis. The rumors apparently come from foreign TV channels.

Avisen City in Helsingborg reported earlier that remarkably few children are being vaccinated in areas with many immigrants.

Swedish authorities has doing a lot in order to publish information about the vaccine in 16 languages.

School vaccinations will start in Sweden next week. The Swedish government set aside a billion Swedish kroner for the vaccinations, which are being given for free.

Recent surveys have shows that 50-70% of Swedes intend to get vaccinated, but the health authorities say that at least 80% must be vaccinated in order to avoid another round of the epidemic.

Sweden bought 18 million doses of the vaccine from British medical company GlaxoSmithKline, which is sufficient to give 9.3 million people two doses.

Source: BT (Danish)

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