(CORRECTED COPY ADDED SIGNATURE) PORTUGAL H1N1 UPDATE -

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LISBON 000048 SIPDIS HHS FOR CDC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: CASC AMED KFLU ETRD EAGR ECON EC PGOV PO SUBJECT: (CORRECTED COPY ADDED SIGNATURE) PORTUGAL H1N1 UPDATE - JAN 21 REF: 09 LISBON 625 09 LISBON 579 09 LISBON 558 LISBON 00000048 001.3 OF 002 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Portuguese Health Ministry has been slow to reach its goal of vaccinating 3 million Portuguese against the H1N1 virus, primarily due to lack of public confidence in the vaccine and media speculation surrounding the deaths of four newborn infants. While many adults, including health care professionals, have been reluctant to get vaccinated, the vaccination program for children under 12 years old has been a success, according to health officials. The first wave of the influenza has passed and H1N1 cases no longer dominate the headlines; nevertheless, the Health Ministry will continue its vaccination campaign in anticipation of a second wave this spring. End Summary. H1N1 VACCINATION CAMPAIGN BESET BY PUBLIC FEAR -------------- - ¶2. (U) Since last spring, when the first H1N1 case was confirmed, the Portuguese have grown accustomed to living with the constant threat of the H1N1 virus and news of additional confirmed cases. With the spread of the virus, public demand for the H1N1 vaccine grew. But when the long-awaited H1N1 vaccine finally became available in October, many expressed apprehension, perceiving it as riskier than the virus itself. The government goal to vaccinate 3 million Portuguese (out of a population of 10.7 million) has been hampered, mainly due to lack of public confidence in the vaccine, even among some health care professionals, which has resulted in lower-than-anticipated vaccinations. ¶3. (U) As of January 5, health officials estimated that a total of 320,000 people had been vaccinated, of whom 73,750 were children under 12 years old. (Note that some patients required two doses.) The Portuguese National Authority of Medicines and Health Products received 151 notifications of adverse reactions to the H1N1 vaccine, of which 62 were considered serious, but no fatalities. ¶4. (SBU) Deputy Director General of Health Graca Freitas told us that many Portuguese have not been vaccinated because of the reduced aggressiveness of the virus and consequently a perceived lower risk of being infected. Freitas attributed the failure of the vaccination program for pregnant women primarily to media speculation linking the H1N1 vaccine to the deaths of four newborn infants. She noted, however, the success of the vaccination program for children under 12 years old, and the increase in the number of vaccinated doctors. ¶5. (SBU) Freitas believes that a national public awareness campaign could increase public confidence but the vaccination program is ultimately dependent on timely delivery of vaccine doses by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, which has been unable to deliver at the desired pace due to limited production capacity. As of January, Portugal had received 470,000 doses but should have received 1 million of the 6 million doses ordered. According to Freitas, Portugal will not consider reducing its order or donating doses to needier countries, as other EU countries have done. END OF FIRST WAVE -------------- ¶6. (U) To date, there has been a total of 94 fatalities, most of them at-risk male patients averaging 47.1 years. The virus peaked during the lastQdE+QQW?ljhcsQQQ8OQlVR*USnQIN'Qcine itself. The Health Ministry is now preparing for a second wave of the influenza with a renewed campaign to reach its goal of vaccinating 3 million people. With lessons learned from the first wave, a more effective awareness-raising campaign to assuage apprehension over the vaccine, and availability of additional vaccine doses, Portugal should be better positioned to meet the challenges of a second wave. LISBON 00000048 002.9 OF 002 -------------- ¶9. (SBU) Portugal undertook great efforts to educate the public about the H1N1 pandemic upon initial outbreak and quickly adopted preventive measures. Its preparedness in early dissemination of information and diagnosis delayed spread of the virus. Portuguese health authorities, however, did not anticipate the high level of public apprehension over the vaccine, fueled by media speculation over the deaths of newborn infants and lack of clear information on the vaccine itself. The Health Ministry is now preparing for a second wave of the influenza with a renewed campaign to reach its goal of vaccinating 3 million people. With lessons learned from the first wave, a more effective awareness-raising campaign to assuage apprehension over the vaccine, and availability of additional vaccine doses, Portugal should be better positioned to meet the challenges of a second wave. BALLARD