First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov chaired an online meeting of the Commission to Prevent the Spread of Diseases Caused by the Highly Contagious H1N1 Flu Virus in the Russian Federation. 

"The incidence of diseases caused by the H1N1 virus is obviously subsiding. 56 constituent entities are registering fewer patients," Mr Zubkov said while opening the meeting. "This is the result of joint efforts of the federal government and regions," Mr Zubkov added.

The First Deputy Prime Minister reminded that the Government had created the required financial and organisational conditions for preventing a possible pandemic. The vaccine's tests have been completed as planned under a timeframe approved by the Commission. All four vaccine types have been registered, and it has also been decided to allocate 4 billion roubles' worth of budgetary funding for vaccine purchases. Commercial production of the anti-flu vaccine has been launched under specific state contracts. The vaccine is currently being supplied to the Russian Federation's constituent entities.

 "140,000 people working for vital sectors, namely, social security, education and law enforcement, have been vaccinated to date. Vaccination has already been completed in the Altai Territory and the Voronezh and Tyumen Regions. There are plans to vaccinate nearly 29 million people by late March 2010," Zubkov said.

Mr Zubkov drew attention to the fact that the regions must unfailingly abide by specific vaccination timeframes in January-March 2010, that they must provide the population and medical clinics with anti-virus medications in line with recommended standards, and that they must also implement the entire range of epidemic-prevention measures.

"A reduction of the incidence of diseases in Russian regions does not mean that we can relax," Mr Zubkov said.

The heads of some concerned federal agencies and representatives of regional executive authorities attended the meeting.