More precaution needed

It is a matter of life and death. And there is no reason for anyone to take it for granted that it is just a coincidence. But some authorities do.

A 20-month-old child died two days after she was inoculated with a vaccine against Hepatitis A in Beijing two weeks ago. Another girl was reported to have had a fever for two days after being injected with the same type of vaccine. The dead child had the same symptom.

However, authorities of Beijing health bureau still refuse to stop the inoculation citywide. They maintain that the vaccines were bought through open bidding from proper channels and should have no quality problem. So, they argue, there is no reason to stop the inoculation in the capital city, but the city's disease prevention and control department will pay close attention to the use of the vaccines.