Swine flu jabs offered in Wales

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Children in North Wales aged from six months to under five years have been offered the swine flu vaccination to protect them from swine flu and its possible complications. This is despite the rates of swine flu falling across Wales and the rest of the UK.

Health Officials believe those in this age group seem to be particularly vulnerable to severe illness as a result of swine flu, resulting in hospitalisation.

They argue that vaccination is the best way to protect young children from possible complications.

Leigh Pusey the vaccination programme co-ordinator in North Wales said: “Thankfully, for most people swine flu has proved to be a fairly mild illness, and the majority of people who catch the illness make a good recovery.

“However within Wales, 28 people with swine flu have died and so we want to make sure that people in the higher risk groups have the chance to be protected. So if you, or your child, gets an invitation from your GP we would encourage people to take up the offer.

“Hundreds of thousands of people across the UK have now been vaccinated. For most people only a single dose of the vaccine is needed. There haven’t been any reports of serious side effects, although some people do find that the area where they are injected on the arm can be sore for a couple of days.”

For North Wales, all eligible children will be offered the vaccination within the next month. Children will receive the vaccine either in their own GP practice or in other health premises in their community.

GPs across North Wales have been busy over the last couple of months delivering the first phase of the national swine flu vaccination programme which was aimed at protecting people who are most at risk from swine flu, including people aged over 65 who already have chronic conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes or respiratory conditions.

People who have a condition that suppresses their body’s natural immunity, together with their close contacts and pregnant women, are also being offered the vaccination. A vaccination programme for frontline health and care staff has also been established, and to cover people in nursing homes and those patients who are housebound and unable to visit their GP.

Supplies of the vaccine are being delivered on a regular basis, allowing more and more people to receive the vaccination, and GPs are continuing to send invitations to eligible patients to come in for their jab.

Although rates of swine flu are falling across the Wales and the rest of the UK, the government and health organisations recommend that as many people as possible take up the offer of vaccination, particularly children in this age group. Once administered, the vaccination will protect individuals for some time.