BEIJING, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Around 100,000 students in the Oct. 1 National Day Parade are among the first to be vaccinated by law against swine flu, China Daily reports.
The move makes China the first country to make it legally binding for its citizens to be vaccinated against the A/H1N1 flu strain, Health Minister Chen Zhu said.
China has nearly 6,000 confirmed cases of swine flu and no deaths have been reported. But the fear is that a major outbreak could affect hundreds of thousands if not millions resulting in many deaths.
This week's announcement is part of a greater nationwide vaccination program to vaccinate 65 million people, or 5 percent of the 1.3 billion population before year's end. It is being kicked off now because the National Day Parade presents a particular opportunity for the flu to spread.
Oct. 1 marks the beginning of a weeklong nationwide holiday in China, when an estimated 200 million people will travel to visit loved ones and friends.
The plan for a legally binding vaccination was issued by the State Food and Drug Administration after consultations with the World Health Organization. It was set up after the safety and effectiveness of the domestically produced vaccine had been proved in clinical tests, China Daily noted.
Chen said protection would also be given to vulnerable groups, such as carriers of chronic disease, school students and medical staff.
"We will also consider the differences between regions and start the vaccinations in areas where there are serious flu situations," said Zhu.
The National Day Parade, which is put on every 10 years, is a particularly prestigious international showcase event for the government this year. It marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of communist-led China after Mao Zedong's forces routed the Western-backed Kuomintang armies of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek to the island of Formosa, now called Taiwan.
The parade is traditionally a military drive past Tiananmen Square, scene of tragic pro-democracy confrontations in June 1989, and is accompanied by mass pageantry including floats and marching bands.
Security measures have also been increased for the parade starting now, according to the national news agency Xinhua.
All holiday leave up until Oct. 1 has been cancelled for firefighters in Beijing, Deputy Fire Chief Luo Yuan said.
"Nearly 6,000 police officers and 460 fire engines have been put on guard against fire hazards from Tuesday up to National Day on Oct. 1."
The Beijing municipal government ordered all rooftops and balconies of buildings in the vicinity of Tiananmen Square and other nearby areas should be cleared of flammable materials.
The announcement also stipulated outer structures decorated with flammable, heat retentive and waterproof materials, as well as all visible holes and cracks should be covered up by non-flammable materials, Xinhua reported.
Post offices are to set up special parcel inspection processes to look for suspicious mail.
Beijing's neighboring province of Hebei has also taken measures to allay transportation safety concerns. Residents of Hebei are required to register their real names when travelling to Beijing, and every bus bound for Beijing should also be registered and include safety supervisors.
