Minister Announces Priority Groups For Swine Flu Vaccine

Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey has announced the priority groups who will be first to receive the swine flu vaccine.

• Individuals aged between six months and 65 years in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at risk groups

• All pregnant women, subject to licensing considerations

• Household contacts of immunocompromised individuals

• People aged 65 and over in the current seasonal flu vaccine clinical at risk groups

Michael McGimpsey said: “There has been a noticeable decrease in swine flu cases across the UK. In Northern Ireland, figures remain higher than normal for the time of year but are now showing slight reductions. Since the start of the outbreak in April, we have had 97 laboratory confirmed swine flu cases. In addition, just over 7,000 antiviral courses have been prescribed by GPs to suspected cases.

“While the figures may be decreasing, it is expected that there will be a surge of cases in the autumn and it is essential that our population is protected. Today we are publishing the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice, simultaneously in all four nations, about the priority groups for H1N1 vaccine.

“Ministers have accepted this advice and are now working with British Medical Association, NHS and Health and Social Care organisations to reach a comprehensive swine flu vaccine implementation plan for this first stage of the programme.

“Preparations continue to be made to extend the programme beyond these initial priority groups and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will consider this matter further and report back in due course. These priority groups have been selected because they are at higher risk of severe illness from swine flu.

“Frontline health and social care workers will also be among the first to be vaccinated. The close contact they have with patients on a daily basis makes them much more susceptible to becoming infected and then passing the virus onto patients. It is vital that we also protect our staff to ensure that the Health and Social Care service is able to deliver care to the sick and vulnerable.”

Licenses for the vaccines are expected from the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) at the end of September/beginning of October which means the vaccination of the priority groups programme should begin in October and be completed by around late November.

The Minister continued: “Vaccines will arrive on a phased basis throughout the year and in sufficient quantities to ensure the entire population of Northern Ireland is vaccinated, if needed.

“The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that the vaccination programme should not begin until the vaccine is licensed, which is expected around the end of September. My first priority is to protect the health and well-being of the population. I want to be assured that this vaccine is safe and effective, particularly before it is given to vulnerable groups.”