Swine flu vaccine arrives in town

NHS organisations in Warrington are gearing themselves up to receive their first batches of swine flu vaccines in the next couple of weeks in preparation for vaccinating front-line staff.
Staff vaccination is an important part of the strategy to protect vulnerable people from the spread of the swine flu virus.
Hospitals will be the first to receive doses of the vaccine in a move to protect vulnerable patients.
Dr Ruth Hussey, North West regional director for public health said: “It is important that frontline staff who have regular clinical contact with patients and who are directly involved in patient care are vaccinated.
“This year more than any other, we are encouraging staff who are eligible to get both the swine flu and seasonal flu jabs. I know it is tempting to think that as it’s a mild illness for the majority of people, NHS staff don’t need to bother with the swine flu vaccine.
“But as front-line staff will be coming into day-to-day contact with vulnerable people in hospitals and GP clinics and the community, it is vital that we are immunised so that we don’t pass the virus on.”
National planning assumptions say that 30 per cent of the population could catch the swine flu virus and 25 per cent could need hospital care, although these are worst case scenarios. People who have underlying health conditions are among the groups of people most at risk.
Over the weekend the number of people being treated in North West hospitals with suspected swine flu reached over 100 for the first time; half of these people had an underlying health problem.
Latest figures show that there are 1.3 million people in the region in “at risk groups” because of conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart and lung disease and cancer, or because they are pregnant.
“Getting front-line NHS staff vaccinated is going to be a vital part of combating the spread of swine flu”, said Dr Hussey.
The majority of people who have had swine flu so far, have described mild to moderate cold or flu-like symptoms.