[SMALL PAIN, BIG GAIN: Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan receiving his H1N1 jab at the Frontiers Medical
Associates Clinic yesterday. He encourages those who are travelling to get vaccinated, by Jamie koh.]

THE supply of Influenza A (H1N1) vaccines here "should be enough" for Singaporeans, even though demand for them is expected to grow, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said yesterday.

So far, about 300,000 people here have placed orders for H1N1 vaccines, about 30 per cent of the one million doses ordered by the Health Ministry.

A total of 356,400 doses have already been sent here. The remaining doses will be delivered in weekly batches before the end of the year.

Speaking after being vaccinated against H1N1 at Frontiers Medical Associates Clinic in Ang Mo Kio, Mr Khaw said that he expects the demand for the vaccines to increase further after they have been proven to be safe for people aged below 18.

The Health Sciences Authority is studying this and is expected to reach a decision before the end of this month, he said. If it gives the green light, many students will probably get the jab before they travel overseas during the forthcoming school holidays.

But even so, the number of jabs needed will still probably not exceed one million, he said. In previous years, only about 400,000 people sought seasonal flu vaccinations each year.

"So, even if you double that, you'd find that a million doses should be sufficient," said Mr Khaw.

"Worldwide, of course, there will always be a shortage because the world population is much bigger than what the factories can produce. But because we are a smaller country, and we made arrangements quite early on, we don't have that kind of a problem."

The ministry will order more doses if necessary, he said.

When asked to comment on a report about two people in China dying after receiving H1N1 jabs, Mr Khaw said that it was not clear if the vaccine had caused their deaths.

"The World Health Organization experts have confirmed that this is a very safe vaccine, so one should not be too worried about safety," he explained.

Those who plan to go abroad should get the jab, so that they will not contract the virus in countries that are experiencing a surge in infections and bring it back here, he said.

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