Swine flu vaccination begins

Vaccinations begin

Today has seen the first vaccinations in the UK-wide programme aimed at combating the spread of swine flu begin.

That's right: another day, yet another swine flu story. Not a day seems to go by when something relating to the H1N1 swine flu vaccination seems to rock the headlines.

But now, after months of reports about production delays, bungled clinical trials and safety concerns: immunisation has begun.

'Urge'

According to reports, seriously ill hospital patients and the staff caring for them will now be the first of the 14 million people in the "priority group" to be given the jab.

Immunisation will then spread out across the rest of the priority group, with GPs across the UK announcing plans to invite those with health problems, damaged immune systems and pregnant women to come forward for immunisation.

The call comes as medical chiefs urge all of those in the priority group to have the vaccine. And, according to Sir Liam Donaldson, the government's chief medical officer, the vaccination programme is now starting just in time.

"This is the first pandemic for which we have had a vaccine to protect people," he told BBC News.

In addition, in an attempt to rebuff criticisms that the vaccine had been rushed, Sir Liam explained that though the vaccines had been produced more quickly than normal, there was the utmost confidence in the vaccine's safety.

In the UK, only 100 people out of the 500,000 infected with swine flu have died, which has also forced cynics to question why the vaccine is needed.

As such, reports now show the government is yet to decide whether the rest of population will be immunised - although enough doses have been ordered. Evidence does show, however, that while the spread of the virus peaked during the summer, in recent weeks cases have started climbing again.

Like this article? Get the RSS feed: