Swine flu vaccination programme under way

Updated: 22:36, Monday, 2 November 2009

A national swine flu vaccination programme to protect over 400,000 people at risk got under way today.

1 of 2 HSE Clinic Vaccination programme
HSE Clinic
Vaccination programme
2 of 2 Swine flu vaccine Programme is under way
Swine flu vaccine
Programme is under way

Where is the vaccine available?

The vaccine is being offered by thousands of GPs and at Health Service Executive clinics around the country for people aged six months to 65 years with serious medical conditions and pregnant women.

This will be followed by a programme of vaccination for health staff, children and those over 65.

The focus of the campaign will then switch to the remaining population.

The HSE has said that over 1,570 people have been vaccinated at its clinics.

The biggest uptake has been in Dublin North East, where 569 people were vaccinated.

The south saw 504 people vaccinated, while the tally was 307 for Dublin Mid Leinster and 197 in the west.

Dr Brendan Corcoran of the National Immunisation Office said some GPs have still not got vaccines but that these glitches were being dealt with.

The HSE has appealed to people not in the at-risk category to wait to receive the vaccine.

Vaccination is available at one of 45 HSE clinics around the country if a patient's GP is not offering the vaccine.

Details of HSE clinic locations are available at www.swineflu.ie or on the HSE's hotline on 1800-941100.

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