The Ministries of Education and Health announced Sunday the beginning of the swine flu vaccination campaign in primary schools for the students with age groups ranging between 6 and 12 year olds. Parents, however, are in state of confusion due to rumors that say the vaccine to have side effects in the long run. Al-Masry Al-Youm asked some parents on the street what they thought. Hoda Salem, 30, housewife: “I don't want my children to be vaccinated. People say it's dangerous. I wonder why parents have to agree or refuse for this swine flu vaccination when my son was vaccinated many times before in school and no one ever asked us for acceptance or not?” Mohsena Shaaban, 44, employee at the Real Estate Tax Authority: “My children received these vaccination acceptance letters in school, but I refused, because everyone says it's harmful and may cause diseases in the long term.” Jihan Ahmed, 30, housewife: “People say it's harmful, I asked the teacher in the school and he said it's not a good vaccine, and that he himself won't vaccinate his children.” Fawqeya Meselhi, 59, employee at the Ministry of Health: “My daughter refused to vaccinate her kids. Why do parents have to accept or refuse to vaccinate their children only against swine flu? This is really weird and makes people doubt. It has become like a field test in Egypt.” Jihan Diab, 37, employee at the Ministry of Health: “I'm already working at the Health Ministry. All my chiefs encouraged me. People don't know if it's dangerous or not and no one does in fact. For this I got vaccinated and my 6-years-old child as well, but, though my younger child is older than six, the school refused to vaccinate him.” Sharbat Ali, 28, housewife: “I won't have my children vaccinated. A doctor was on TV and said it's dangerous, so I won't harm my children of course.” Ashraf Gaber, 40, butcher: “I agree my children should get the vaccine. Why to worry about it? People in other countries got vaccinated and nothing happened. This is a dangerous disease and we should protect ourselves.”
