Janine Rankin of the Manawatu Standard reports on the start of efforts to immunise those most at risk from swine flu.
The H1N1 vaccine is initially only available to those most at risk – health workers, the morbidly obese, the very young and pregnant women – and will roll out to the rest of the population in the near future.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“[Immunisation co-ordinator Deb] Winiata said about 350 community health workers had been vaccinated so far in anticipation of an early start to the pandemic influenza season.
“They all have to come back for a second dose of the Celvapan vaccine three weeks after the first.
“It will be next month before the seasonal vaccine that includes protection against swine flu and two other flu strains is available for everyone else, including people aged over 65.