Swine Flu Vaccination
13.07.2009
In May the Department of Health announced that the UK Government had signed an agreement with vaccine manufacturers to secure supplies of up to 90 million doses of pre-pandemic H1N1 vaccine.
NHS Gloucestershire is now working on the latest Government information to put in place plans to administer this vaccine to the people of Gloucestershire.
It is expected that the first batch of vaccine will be available by the end of August with further batches available by the end of the year and into 2010.
The UK Government has ordered enough vaccine for the whole population, but to reduce the impact of swine flu those at greatest risk will be given priority.
Dr Shona Arora, Director of Public Health, said:
“We are working closely with NHS South West and the Health Protection Agency to ensure we act on the latest information.
“We are reviewing plans and current means of vaccination to ensure that when stocks for the swine flu vaccination become available we can prioritise the groups at higher risk and provide a programme of vaccination for the whole of the county.
“The vaccine is different from the normal seasonal flu vaccine. Having the annual seasonal flu jab is extremely important if you fall into any of the high risk groups as it can help keep you out of hospital.
“People should have the swine flu vaccination in addition to the seasonal flu jab.”
The advice for people who have flu-like symptoms remains the same. They should check their symptoms using the online flu checker at www.nhs.uk or by calling the National Swine Flu Information Line on 0800 1 513 513.
If after checking your symptoms you think have swine flu, please stay at home and contact your GP by telephone. Your GP will advise you if antivirals are required and where these can be collected from.
People are advised not to seek advice in person to help reduce the spread of the virus. A family member, friend or neighbour (known as a flu friend), who is not displaying flu-like symptoms, is advised to collect antivirals.
Dr Arora is advising people to adopt good hygiene practice as normal:
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue whenever possible
- Dispose of dirty tissues promptly and carefully – bag and bin them
- Maintain good hygiene – washing hands frequently with soap and water
- Clean hard surfaces (e.g. kitchen worktops, door handles) frequently, using a normal cleaning product
