Order of priority for swine flu jab
Frontline medical staff followed by pregnant women and the under fives will be the first to receive a new swine flu vaccine next month.
This is according to Pulse, the health professionals magazine, which states that under 65s with chronic conditions, under 18s and pensioners will be the next in line.
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NHS Lincolnshire says order of priority will be determined when the amount of vaccine is known
The vaccine is currently being trialled at Leicester Royal Infirmary and is expected to be licensed for use in September.
Ministers have previously said they expect to have enough doses for half the UK population.
Lincolnshire GPs have also heard that health visitors are to be sent into school next term to vaccinate children with the two-part vaccine.
But NHS Lincolnshire says it has yet to receive guidance from the Department of Health on how the vaccine programme will be delivered.
Dr Mandy Bretman, director of public health for NHS Lincolnshire, said: "Who the priority groups will be for the vaccine, and how it is administered will be determined when the amount of vaccine is known and when it is to be received."
As reported in yesterday's Echo, more than half of youngsters given Tamiflu, the antiviral drug that reduces symptoms of swine flu, experienced unpleasant side effects, namely nausea, headaches and 'neuro-psychiatric side effects' such as nightmares and sleeplessness.
But when asked whether side effects are expected with the vaccine, Dr Bretman said: "We expect that any side effects will be similar to those of other vaccines such as occasional soreness and redness of the vaccination site."
For the full story see Tuesday's Lincolnshire Echo.
24 Comments
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by J, Lincoln
Wednesday, August 12 2009, 1:45PM
“Right......”
by Wikki Pedia, the internet
Wednesday, August 12 2009, 1:20PM
“Until they prove otherwise, nobody on the internet has a PhD.”
by J, Lincoln
Wednesday, August 12 2009, 12:39PM
“Very good although I very much doubt you could successfuly get a PhD solely by using Wilipedia, I might be wrong though.”
by Wikki Pedia, the internet
Wednesday, August 12 2009, 10:20AM
“I do have such a lot to answer for, don't I?”
by J, Lincoln
Wednesday, August 12 2009, 8:37AM
“I presume you are talking about the vaccine Pediacel, although I didn¿t know aluminium had been removed despite some populist movements to make vaccines ¿green¿. In layman¿s terms it looks worrying having aluminium and formaldehyde in a vaccine. However aluminium is a necessary adjuvant. It makes the vaccine more effective so children need less shots. Aluminium is the third most abundant element on Earth and there is more present in your food than in a vaccine. Formaldehyde is a natural product. It is sometimes used as an antimicrobial in vaccine production but it is also produced in our bodies as a by-product of our metabolism, removing it would mean the vaccine would ¿go off¿.
With regard to Falkland's soldiers I am not aware of this one, I am aware of the Gulf war syndrome. This is greatly different from the public as they are being vaccinated against something far more potent, anthrax for one. In addition, the main problem with this was not the injection themselves but the way it was administered with 6 in a day, thisdoes not follow established protocol.
You are correct with regards to the differences in Polio, Smallpox, and flu. I am aware of this, however I was illustrating that vaccines are good. They offer the best form of protection we have to the recipient and help prevent the spread of the virus. I am constantly baffled by the intent by many people on the outskirts of science to paint them as some kind of evil and more so the rhetoric they use. They break down the ingredients within and say how these are harmful, accept in the amounts and form present they aren¿t. There are far more pressing concerns to people¿s health and this war on vaccines detracts from that.”