Reading diary 2

Date：9 October 2009
Name and URL： Medical staff, chronically ill to get priority in flu vaccination http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20090905TDY01304.htm

Text:
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry on Friday unveiled the final draft of its policies on vaccination against the new type of influenza, which would prioritize the inoculation of medical professionals and people likely to develop serious symptoms as a result of catching the flu--a total of 19 million people. According to the final draft, the nation is expected to ultimately need vaccine for 54 million people to fight a possible influenza epidemic. It also lists the order of priority among the 19 million people at high risk. The ministry plans to solicit public opinion about this issue for a week from Monday and then ask a government advisory panel to discuss people's concerns. The ministry's policies are scheduled to be finalized by the end of this month. Vaccinations are likely to begin in late October, the ministry said. Among those with such chronic conditions as asthma and diabetes, top priority would be given to children from 1 year old through preschool. As vaccinations are not likely to help infants develop immunity to viruses, the ministry also will give priority to the parents of infants under the age of 1. This represents an expansion from the ministry's initial plan of giving priority to the parents of children under 6 months of age. According to the ministry, domestic manufacturers will produce enough vaccine for 18 million people by the end of this fiscal year. Shipment of the vaccines likely will start in late October, after which people on the priority list will start receiving inoculations. The remaining need will be met with imported vaccines that will be administered to primary, middle and high school students and the elderly. Foreign-made vaccines are expected to arrive in Japan after late December. People need to receive two doses of vaccine. As it takes about a month after the first vaccination to develop immunity, people inoculated in late October, for example, are unlikely to become immune to the virus until December.


Summary:
厚生労働省は金曜日、新型インフルエンザに対してのワクチン接種の政策について明らかにした。
その政策は、医療のプロやインフルエンザの症状がある人を優先するというものである。
最後の会議で、国家は最終的に5400000人分のインフルエンザのワクチンが必要だと予期した。これもまた1900000人のリスクの高い人が優先される。　ワクチン接種は幼児を救うための発達したウイルスの免疫のようなものではなく、その援助もまた1歳以下の用事の両親が優先されるだろう。
内閣によると、国内の製造業者は1800000人のための十分なワクチンを今年の会計年度までに製造するだろう。
人々は2つのワクチンを接種する必要がある。免疫を強めるために、最初のワクチン接種から約1ヶ月後にまた受けるのである。

What I find interesting: インフルエンザがこれ以上流行しないようにするためにも、一人ひとりが意識的に感染予防をしなければならないと思いました。
医療に携わる人を優先にワクチン接種する政策は、とても効果的でいいと思います。私も、マスクをしたり手洗いうがいをきちんとして、感染を防ぎたいと思います。
ワクチンの生産も、感染の拡大を抑えるためにとても重要だと思いました。

New words/expressions I learn:
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry　厚生労働省
unveil　明らかにする
vaccination　ワクチン接種
prioritize　優先させる
inoculation　予防接種
symptom　徴候、症状
fiscal year 会計年度(10月1日～9月30日まで)
immunity 　免疫