XN000022-1977-05-12 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1977

ANTI-RABIES VACCINE

NEW SUPPLY ARRIVED

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A FRESH BATCH OF ANTI-RABIES VACCINE ARRIVED AT KAI TAK AIRPORT THIS AFTERNOON FROM SPAIN.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE FRESH BATCH COMPRISING FOUR THOUSAND DOSES WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE SHAUKE IWAN CAMPAIGN TO RECOMMENCE TOMORROW (FRIDAY) FOR ONE DAY,

THE TWO CENTRES TO BE IN OPERATION TOMORROW ARE LOCATED AT THE SIDE OF SAI WAN HO MARKET AND AT THE JUNCTION OF KAM WAH STREET AND SHAUKE IWAN MAIN STREET EAST (IN FRONT OF KAM WAH STREET REST GARDEN).

THIS WOULD COMPLETE THE PROJECTED IMMUNISATION DRIVE IN SHAUKE IWAN WHICH WAS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED AT THE END OF LAST WEEK OWING TO UNEXPECTEDLY HIGH DEMAND.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE SHAUKE IWAN DRIVE HAD BEEN PLANNED AS A PILOT SCHEME OF THE HONG KONG-WIDE RABIES AWARENESS PROGRAMME AND THE DEPARTMENT WOULD EVALUATE THE RESULT OF THE SHAUKE IWAN EXERCISE BEFORE ANNOUNCING THE SUBSEQUENT PHASES OF THE PROGRAMME.

HE SAID THAT THE DECISION ON THE NEXT PHASE WOULD BE REACHED NEXT WEEK, DEPENDING UPON RESULTS ACHIEVED SO FAR AND THE EXPECTATION OF FURTHER SUPPLIES OF ANTI-RABIES VACCINE BEING MADE AVAILABLE OVER THE NEXT WEEK.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE NORMAL IMMUNISATION FACILITY IN THE DEPARTMENT'S PERMANENT CENTRES THROUGHOUT HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL CONTINUE SO LONG AS EXISTING SUPPLY HOLDS OUT.

HE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION AT THE +SPEED+ OF THE PUBLIC'S REACTION TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS RABIES AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

HE SAID THE EXTENT OF THE DEMAND CREATED BY THE PUBLIC FOR THE SHAUKE IWAN EXERCISE EXCEEDED THE EXPECTATION. +HOWEVER, WE DO NOT WANT TO GIVE THE PUBLIC THE IMPRESSION OF IMMEDIATE URGENCY IN THIS PROGRAMME, HE ADDED.

+RABIES IS NOT EXISTING IN HONG KONG, THE LAST RECORDED CASE WAS IN 1955, + HE SAID.

+OUR OBJECT IN THIS EXERCISE IS TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THE EVER PRESENT THREAT AND TO SEEK THEIR CO-OPERATION IN MINIMISING THE DANGER OF THE DISEASE BEING RE-INTRODUCED INTO HONG KONG, + HE WENT ON.

+THEREFORE, DOG OWNERS IN OTHER AREAS SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED TO RUSH TO OUR SPECIALLY PROVIDED FACILITY IN THE TARGET AREA TO QUEUE FOR HOURS AND OVERBURDEN OUR STAFF OUT OF A SENSE OF PANIC, HE SAID.

+THEY SHOULD WAIT TO BE INFORMED OF OUR SUBSEQUENT TARGET AREA AND THE TIME-TABLE WE WILL ESTABLISH FOR THE OPERATION, SO THAT WHEN THE CAMPAIGN REACH THAT DISTRICT, THEY CAN GO ALONG AT THE IR CONVENIENCE TO GET THEIR DOGS INOCULATED,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN,

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