The Health Protection Agency North West is strongly recommending that anyone who is offered vaccination against H1N1v (swine flu), available from today, should seize the opportunity to protect themselves and their families from what has the potential to be a serious illness.
“Most people with swine flu have comparatively mild symptoms and recover quickly,” notes Dr. Steven Gee, the HPA’s influenza lead for Cumbria and Lancashire, “but like all types of influenza, H1N1v can have a severe affect on some people.
“In extreme cases people die, so no one should assume that they will escape with mild illness. Vaccination is the best line of defence against swine flu.”
Swine flu is a respiratory illness caused by the type A flu (H1N1) virus. The current influenza pandemic (commonly known as swine flu) in countries around the world has been caused by a new version (strain) of the virus named as Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The first batches of swine flu vaccine have been earmarked for NHS hospitals. Every hospital in England will receive its supplies within the next three days. The vaccination programme will be rolled out to GP surgeries, Ambulance, Mental Health and Primary Care Trusts from Monday 26th October.
Frontline health and social care workers will be the first to be vaccinated because they are at increased risk and because they risk transmitting infection to vulnerable people in their care. Hospital patients with risk factors for flu will also be vaccinated in the first wave. Others with risk factors will be prioritised as follows:
• People aged over six months and under 65 years who qualify for normal seasonal flu jabs because they have risk factors such as heart conditions, kidney disease, chronic asthma or diabetes that requires medication
• Pregnant women
• Household contacts of people with compromised immune systems, such as people on cancer or steroid treatments and people who are HIV positive
• People aged 65 and over with heart conditions, kidney disease, chronic asthma or diabetes requiring medication.
• More info on Swine Flu from the national HPA site: www.hpa.org.uk