OREANDA-NEWS. Metalloinvest's enterprises launched a vaccination campaign aimed at preventing flu and pneumonia. This year, Metalloinvest regulated employees' inoculation centralising purchases of the single vaccine and introducing unified standards of vaccination at all enterprises.

Andrey Salnikov, Metalloinvest's Head Doctor, noted: “While previously we inoculated 20 to 50 percent of employees at the various enterprises, we are now planning to immunise 30 to 35 percent of employees. The aim is to have enough immunised employees to prevent the virus from spreading. Until now it has not been possible as we could not inoculate sufficient number of people.”

According to the Federal Service on Customers' Rights Protection and Human Well-Being Surveillance (Rospotrebnadzor), the next epidemic peak is expected in February and March 2014. Inoculation is possible even when the number of people infected with flu and acute respiratory viral infection is growing, between September and March. Full immunity develops within two weeks. Post vaccination immunity level is maintained for 6 to 12 months. As such, if vaccination campaign finishes in December, the peak of the epidemic will be covered.

For the purposes of flu prevention, starting this year, Metalloinvest will use Vaxigrip, one of the most efficient vaccines available. In addition, for the first time, the employees will be immunised against pneumonia. The chosen Pneumo 23 vaccine has proved to be successful in pneumonia, bronchial asthma and bronchitis prevention.

The efficiency of the vaccination campaign will be evaluated at every enterprise. This will help to analyse the results of prevention measures and make forecasts.