The campaign to vaccinate school students against H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, was launched Sunday in six different governorates.
In Alexandria, some parents refused to vaccinate their children. They feared the vaccine could cause cancer, they said. Participation rates in Cairo and the Delta governorate of Qalyubiya were low.
The campaign aims to vaccinate 2.3 million primary school students. Education Minister Yousry el-Gamal, who was replaced in a limited cabinet reshuffle Sunday, took the vaccine himself in order to reassure parents that it has no side effects.
"120 million people all over the world, including 120,000 Egyptians, all took the vaccine without any complications," Yousry said. "Only children with certain allergies are not to take it."
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
