A mass swine flu immunisation programme began today, with England’s chief medical officer urging all priority groups to take up the offer of vaccination.
Sir Liam Donaldson said it was important for frontline health and social care workers to get themselves vaccinated against the virus, along with other groups classified as a “priority” or at risk.
“This is the first pandemic for which we have had vaccine to protect people,” he said.
“I urge everyone in the priority groups to have the vaccine. It will help prevent people in clinical risk groups from getting swine flu and the complications that may arise from it.
“It’s important for frontline health and social care workers to have the vaccine.
“It will help prevent them and their families getting the virus from patients, it will stop them passing the virus on to their patients, it will potentially protect them from mutated strains and it will reduce the disruption to NHS services caused by people being absent due to illness.”
Donaldson’s call came as the programme, which will offer more than 11 million people the vaccine, began with hospitals treating frontline workers, and patients who fell into at-risk categories.
Read more at The Guardian.
Tags: Swine Flu
