The head state sanitary doctor of Russia, Gennady Onischenko, told journalists about the problems in his professional sphere and in the sphere of politics.
On acute respiratory diseases and flu
At the moment the country is at a non-epidemic level. Only Kalmykia breaks the epidemic barrier on respiratory illnesses and flu. Disease frequency is high in the Ryazan, Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod and Chelyabinsk regions, Moscow, Mari-El and the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district. Negative forecasts were proved. Three actual strains were included into the national triple vaccine: pandemic flu H1N1 2009 (California), H3N2 and brizben. Parainfluenza are leaders at the moment. They pass mildly, but have symptoms of ARD. Influenza in general counts up to 1.5% of the epidemic situation in the country. Tactics of preventive measures include shutting down separate classes or schools to stop spread of contagion. In Russia 11 schools have been shut down, 69 kindergartens were partially shut down as well. As for the peak of disease intensiveness, it will take place in the second half of December.
On vaccination
In the country 27,206,208 people have been already vaccinated. Within the national project 20 million doses for adults and 12 million doses for children were bought. At the moment 11,109,000 children have already been vaccinated, which is 92.2% of the planned quantity. Britain has recently announced a breakthrough in anti-flu immunization, saying they are developing an “ideal vaccine.” Vaccination will take place once in a lifetime. like vaccination against measles or smallpox.
On a new kind of flu
Global monitoring is provided under mutations at a genetic level of disease. In July 2011 there were two states of the USA three cases of feverish respiratory disease, caused by “swine flu” H3N2, which has virus H1N1 2009. Bird flu continues. 580 cases have been registered, in 56% of them people died. However, a human cannot infect another human with it, only a bird can infect a human. Swine flu H1N1 passes mildly, but it is highly contagious. In one season almost all countries of the world experienced cases of this flu. If flu H3N2 will mingle with flu H1N1 in any biological substrate like a human or an animal, it will be very dangerous.
On measles
Last year in some regions of Russia neighboring China an epidemic of measles came from it. This year Europe has seen 25,000 cases of measles. Today the World Healthcare Organization considers measles as the most dangerous controlled infection. Every year 50 million people catch measles , and 1 million of them die. In Russia in the last 9 months 183 cases of measles were registered in 20 regions. The most effective preventive measure is vaccination. When a child is 12 months old it is vaccinated against measles. But today more and more adults catch the disease. It means the need for re-vaccination. The reason for measles at the adult stage is a weakening of immunity.
On deportation of migrant labourers
The laws of the Russian Federation presuppose the deportation of migrants infected by some dangerous diseases. Unfortunately, Russia cannot trust the healthcare systems of those countries from where most migrant labourers come.
According to some appraisals, the number of illegal migrants in Russia is about 10 million people. However, the official quota includes a far fewer number of migrants. Unfortunately, this is beneficial for Russian business, as illegal labour migration is similar to the slavery of the 19th century.
Russian legislators made a decision to deport all migrants infected with HIV, tuberculosis and syphilis. About 21,000 people were deported, all of whom were legal migrants. After a disease is discovered, a migrant has a month to return to the country he or she came from or face deportation.
On Georgian wine
The accession of Russia to the WTO won’t influence the appearance Georgian wine on the Russian market, as the mechanism of the WTO gives a country an opportunity to launch exclusive sanitary measures. However, it could happen before Russia becomes a full member of the WTO, as all the documents will only be ratified in June 2012.
