As the caption says, our Minister of Health Dr. Faisal Al-Hamer together with top “influencers” including businessman Farouq Al-Moayyed, ex-MoH undersecretary Abdulaziz Hamza and a bevy of other personages too were the first to be given the H1N1 vaccine in Bahrain. About 200 according to this piece from Al-Wasat this morning:
دشّنوزير الصØÂØ© ÙÂيصل الØÂمر أمس لقاؠانÙÂلونزا الخنازير ÙÂيمركز ØÂمد كانو الصØÂيبØÂضور وكلاء الوزارة تØÂت شعار «التزامك بلقاؠH1N1 ÙŠØÂميأسرتك».وكانأول المطعمينخلال التدشينكل منالوزير ووكيل الوزارة السابق عبدالعزيز ØÂمزة ومسئوليوزارة الصØÂØ© ووكلاء الوزارات الأخرى وصاØÂب الأعمال ÙÂاروق المؤيد وعالم الÙÂلك وهيب الناصر، وبلغ إجماليالمطعمينخلال التدشينأكثر من200 شخص منبينهم عدد منالأطÙÂال.
وقال الوزير الØÂمر ÙÂيكلمته «بلغ مجموع ØÂالات الإصابة بانÙÂلونزا الخنازير المثبتة مختبريا ÙÂيالبØÂرين888 إصابة ØÂتى الرابع مننوÙÂمبر/ تشرينالثانيالجاريمنأصل 3074 ØÂالة تم اختبارها، وبلغ مجموع الØÂالات ذات الأعراض الشبيهة بالانÙÂلونزا 15 أل٠ØÂالة، وسجلت البØÂرينثمانوÙÂيات منجراء المرض منبينها أربع ØÂالات لمواطنين، ÙˆØÂرصا منالوزارة على سلامة المجتمع كاÙÂØ© تم التعاقد مع كبار الشركات المصنعة لاستيراد مليونجرعة منلقاؠانÙÂلونزا الخنازير ستصل على دÙÂعات».
Al-Wasat – 8 Nov 09GDN version here (English)
The minister also confirmed that we have 888 cases of proven H1N1 cases in Bahrain resulting in 8 deaths out of a suspected pool of 15,000 cases out of which his ministry tested 3,074 in the lab. The common lore suggests multiples of that actual figure of course, but who’s counting? They want to jab-happy the whole population.
Our friend Alia Al-Moayed – a known nutritionist and health expert – doesn’t support this jab-happy approach. She was actually reprimanded (and threatened to have her license revoked) by the same ministry for “spreading untruths and panic” to her suggestion to the adoption of the healthier lifestyle as a natural antidote to this Swine flu malarky. I’ll call them somehow getting one of her uncles to be jabbed right after the minister a simple coincidence.
Regardless though, I’m not really interested in either point of view. I’ve heard enough now to be completely confused. For the moment; however, I’ll defer to the side of Alia than I would with Faisal.
Now, with that, I shall declare a little Mtv-style competition open and that is for the best caption on the picture above – not sure what I’ll offer as a present though, maybe to try to get the winner to the top of the queue for a jab? 🙂
Have at it guys!
Comments
Thanks Mahmood. This is the link to the Arabic article that was not allowed into the Arabic papers (the English version went into the GDN). For what its worth http://aliaalmoayed.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/will-you-take-the-swine-flu-vaccine/ Scroll down for the Arabic version.
I hope we can all stay safe with some good old common sense.
Alia
and the truth shall set you free….
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_raE-H6pHezg/SthwfpxBQDI/AAAAAAAAACw/bLXn9WLT8NI/s1600-h/FDN_1610.jpg
What do you mean the swine flu vaccine has real swine flu in it?!! Allah forgive me.
“I hope the camera adds a few pounds to my biceps”
good one! 🙂
I agree that the Swine Flu pandemic has been blown out of proportion by the media. However, Alia Almoayed’s article is uninformed and for the most part buys into the drivel that is peddled by conspiracy theorists. I believe in freedom of speech, but, for her opinion to appear in the only national daily as expert advice is irresponsible journalism that triggers panic. A little knowledge, dangerous thing, etc. Oh, and as a healthy individual in my thirties I will not be opting for the vaccine, but, not because I am worried about “thiomersal” and the adverse effects of Mercury.
The winner of Who Wants to Torture a Minister steps up to the plate as other contestants look on with envy.
The girls had all chipped in with some money to buy a plastic inflatable husband, but it took a lot of effort to get him fully deployed because none of them had a bicycle pump.
Here, Gertrude is taking a breather while Mr Right is about half inflated.
If this works out, they are saving up for a set of bagpipes.
A bit rude but:
“Looks like this needle and I are the only pricks in the room.”
;.)
Well officer, it was like this. I was expecting a hypodermic needle, but they used a nail gun.
It went right through my right hand, through my left arm, and into my rib cage. While I was squealing in agony, and immobilised, they stole my watch, wallet, car keys, credit cards, and on top of everything they even took a photograph.
Shaker,
According to official sources, swine flu is more dangerous for the healthy.
Anyway, why are you not taking the vaccine?