Citizens 24 and under eligible for flu shots

A written statement from the ministry recalled that as of Nov. 16 the shots had been available for people between the ages of 6 months and 5 years, in addition to persons of all ages suffering from chronic illnesses. “Vaccinations for those in the groups that already had access to the shots will continue upon their request,” the statement read, adding that the shots were available free of charge at medical clinics, family health centers and hospitals. So far, a total 115 people have died in Turkey after succumbing to the swine flu.

The move comes amidst continued speculation and controversy over the astuteness of having the flu shots, with some government officials and many members of the public choosing not to be inoculated. Adding fuel to the fire was the recent recall of swine flu shots sold to Canada by pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline PLC -- the same producer of the shots in Turkey. GlaxoSmithKline said it had advised Canadian health professionals not to use a batch of swine flu vaccines for fear they could trigger life-threatening allergies, following reports that the batch might have caused more than the usual number of allergic reactions.

“The batch recalled in Canada was only sold to that country and has absolutely no relation whatsoever with the shots sold to Turkey,” the company said in a statement. “GlaxoSmithKline will continue to work in coordination with state authorities and share results and developments with the public in a transparent manner,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Burdur Governor’s Office decided on Tuesday that all elementary and high schools and private schools would go on vacation until the end of the Eid al-Adha holiday weekend as a precaution against the spread of swine flu. According to a statement from the governor’s office, the decision was made due to an increase in absences throughout the province and to prevent further spread of the swine flu. Despite the fact that Burdur has seen less cases of the flu than other provinces in the area, the high level of concern over the flu on the part of residents had led to increases in absences at schools and workplaces. The extra vacation time for schools amounts to a total of one-and-a-half days, and students will return to class on Dec. 1.