Swine Flu Vaccines On Route

Medical staff and other front-line personnel are to be at the top of the queue for swine flu vaccinations across Northern Ireland.

As plans to vaccinate every person in the Irish Republic were announced at the weekend - with top officials, including Taoiseach Brian Cowen expected to be among the first to be vaccinated - the NI Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey was spelling out policy for NI.

"Priority groups, such as those whose medical conditions put them at risk of complications from flu, along with frontline health service staff, will receive the vaccine first."

In a written statement to the Stormont Assembly he said: "I want to reassure Members and the general public that there will be enough vaccine for the entire population over the course of the pandemic.

"All of these actions place us in a very strong position to deal with a more serious outbreak, which experts predict is highly likely in the autumn and winter months."

He was commenting as the flu vaccinations arrival was being anticipated for next month.

"Efforts have enabled us to curb the spread of swine flu, which has given us valuable time to learn more about the characteristics of this novel virus. This has also allowed us to set in motion plans to develop a vaccine," he said.

"It is thanks to many years of planning for a potential pandemic that Northern Ireland, along with the rest of the UK, will be among the first countries in the world to receive vaccine.

"The first batch of vaccines is expected to arrive in Northern Ireland by August, and vaccination should start in September," he continued.

"All of these actions place us in a very strong position to deal with a more serious outbreak, which experts predict is highly likely in the autumn and winter months."

Meanwhile, up to 7.7 million swine flu vaccines will be made available in the Republic by the autumn, their Department of Health confirmed on Saturday.

The €88 million programme will be offered across the State and drugs manufacturers are working on the order for vaccines.

"The department has on order 7.7 million vaccines should they be required. The vaccines are being prepared by the pharmaceutical companies and they will be available (by the autumn)," said the Irish Health Department.

On Friday, 12 new cases of the A(H1N1) flu were confirmed in the Republic and another five in Northern Ireland.

See: Fourth UK Death From Swine Flu

(BMcC/JM)