Taipei, Dec. 11 (CNA) The Department of Health (DOH) and experts have again given their assurances of the safety of A(H1N1) vaccine as a national vaccination program is set to begin Saturday following initial immunizations targeting specific groups.

DOH Deputy Minister Chang Shan-chwen said that since the immunization program kicked off Nov. 1, 2.6 million people had been given shots as of Dec. 7. Among the 242 cases of possible side effects reported, most complained of dizziness, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and shortness of breath.

Most of them recovered within 48 hours, but the 44 more serious cases included miscarriage, sudden death and weak legs.

Chang, as well as Lee Bin-yin from National Taiwan University Hospital and Chiu Nan-chang of Mackay Memorial Hospital, urged the public not to be alarmed by the figures.

They explained that even without the immunization program, there is a certain ratio of miscarriage, sudden death and neuritis, while the DOH observed that the ratio is no different to past years during seasonal flu vaccination programs.

City hospitals in Taipei and Kaohsiung, as well as DOH hospitals around Taiwan, will hold a competition in which hospitals and doctors who have given the most shots will get commendations from the Central Epidemics Prevention Center, DOH officials said.

There will also be temporary immunization stations set up in big department stores, hypermarkets, railway stations and temples, the officials went on.

To encourage the public to get the shots, the DOH is offering agricultural produce, stationery sets and lucky draws at these stations, they added.

The already-completed vaccination program for specific groups targeted the priority groups of typhoon-affected victims living in shelters, high-risk medical personnel, elementary school students, pre-school children, pregnant women and seriously ill patients. (By Chang Ching-fang and Lilian Wu)

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