Medical staff first in line for flu vaccines
Doctors and nurses will become the first in Lincolnshire to be protected against deadly swine flu when 2,000 doses of vaccine are delivered to the county at the end of this week.
Frontline health workers are among two million people who the Government claim could risk spreading the disease to vulnerable patients – many of who will also get the jab.
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FIRST BATCH: 2,000 doses of swine flu vaccine are due to arrive in the county this week.
Tony McGinty, assistant director for public health and partnerships at NHS Lincolnshire, said shipments of the drug had started yesterday and the first staff would be inoculated in the coming days.
"The Department of Health has started delivering the vaccine and it is anticipated that the first batch will be received by NHS Lincolnshire towards the end of this week, for use in the acute hospitals throughout the county."
Special clinics will be set up within the hospitals to offer staff a chance to get the jab when they are available, or some groups will vaccinate each other.
"The remainder of the vaccine for use by GPs and other health professionals will be delivered during the week beginning next week," said Mr McGinty.
"And once these have been delivered we will start the vaccination programme in line with Department of Health guidance."
For more on the order of priority for those being given the swine flu vaccine, see Thursday's Echo.
2 Comments
by nicky, lincoln
Thursday, October 22 2009, 3:55PM
“can i have mine unopened please so i can flog it on ebay.
i'm in an high risk group so will be offered it one day.
but i shan't be having it.
i don't believe in flu vaccines,i cant count the number of times i've seen people have the vaccine then get a serious case of the flu within a fortnight of having the flu jab.”
by Wayne, Lithuania
Thursday, October 22 2009, 12:10PM
“At least this is one thing the management should not get a share in, they are either too often frightened to come out of the offices and see the real world of the nursing proffesion, or they are all to often at so called meetings. there should be no reason why the manager any one in a office should get it, but i bet the big bosses are first in the q, lets wait and see ha!!!”