Liu Minxia

    mllmx@msn.com

    YESTERDAY in a community clinic Lin Yixuan’s son was about to get a vaccine against measles and mumps, but the father called off the injection at the last moment.

    “I can’t help worrying,” said Lin, a medical news reporter who has followed the ongoing vaccine scandal, which already involves 570 million yuan (US$90 million) of improperly stored and potentially fatal vaccines distributed across two-thirds of China in the past five years. “It’s better to wait and see,” he said.

    Lin’s worries were echoed throughout Shenzhen yesterday as a 2013 Southern Metropolis Daily report, which singled out some individual cases of children becoming critically ill or even dying after receiving vaccines, circulated across social media portals.

    “I have to say, I don’t have faith after so many scandals over quality,” said Wang Jun, a mother of a 10-month-old. “Although Shenzhen authorities said vaccines in the city’s official vaccination clinics are safe, I plan to wait for my girl, or I will probably just bring her to Hong Kong.”

    Information about how to have children from Shenzhen vaccinated in Hong Kong spread across WeChat yesterday.

    “It was a slow day today,” said Zhang Xiang, a doctor in charge of vaccinations at a community clinic in Futian District’s Meilin area. “It may take the parents some time to get over their worries. For the time being, even assurances and guarantees from authorities don’t overcome their fears.” Tuesday and Thursday are regular vaccine days for children across the city.

    Shenzhen’s health authorities have said all the vaccines used in the city’s official vaccination clinics are purchased from qualified suppliers and advised parents not to panic or delay vaccinations.

    Doctors and experts also warned that delaying vaccinations can make childern vulnerable to preventable diseases.

    Shenzhen police said yesterday that it had detained Huang Zengcai, one of the people who allegedly sold vaccines provided by illegal sales ring. The city’s drug watchdog inspected the two vaccine producers in Shenzhen and no problems were found. Residents are encouraged to call the administrator’s hotline at 12331 to report tips.

    Children in Shenzhen are required to receive around 19 vaccine shots for about eight illnesses between before 6 years old. These vaccines are for free. They are also recommended to receive about another 14 vaccine shots for other illnesses during their first six years, which cost money.

    (Read more on P4: Vaccine scandal investigators identify fraud wholesalers)