Expired vaccine given to cops, assistants

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Shanghai Daily, March 4, 2013
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Health authorities in eastern China's Changzhou said they haven't detected adverse reactions among the 130 police officers and their assistants who were given expired measles vaccines.

Everyone receiving the expired shots must submit to three days of medical observation and checks, and a local hospital has been designated to treat people with adverse reactions. No decision had been made yet on new vaccinations for the group.

Changzhou's Wujin District Health Bureau has required all local facilities using vaccines check their stock to prevent similar accidents.

The health bureau said investigation has begun and those responsible for the problem will be punished, China News Service said yesterday.

The Wujin Disease Control and Prevention Center in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, received a report on Wednesday saying two police officers in Wujin District Public Security Bureau were believed to have symptoms of measles.

Under measles prevention and control guidelines, all those under 40 years old in the bureau should receive emergency measles vaccinations.

The Mahang Health Center went to the bureau to offer measles shots on Friday, when a total of 550 police officers and assistants received the shots.

During the procedure, a police officer found the vaccines had expired after reading the expiration date on the package.

The vaccines used for the emergency injections came from two suppliers: Shanghai Institute of Biological Products with the expiration dated on November 8, 2013, and Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products with expiration dated on November 22, 2012.

There were 65 expired vaccines and 130 officers and police assistants got the expired shots, the health bureau said.

Expired measles shots can cause a poor or failed immunity against measles, the health officials said. Adverse reactions include fever, rash and pain at the injection site, but no serious complications.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. Symptoms include high fever, runny nose, bloodshot eyes and a rash.

There is no specific treatment for measles and most people recover in a few weeks. But, particularly in malnourished children and people with lower immunity, measles can cause complications like blindness, encephalitis and pneumonia.

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