Swine flu: vaccinations are go in Europe - October 21, 2009
All Nature’s pandemic flu coverage is collected on our news special page.
As America faces warnings of a vaccine shortage, Europe is getting underway with the H1N1 jabbing.
In the UK vaccinations start today, with doctors, nurses and pregnant women first in line for shots. “This is the first pandemic for which we have had vaccine to protect people. I urge everyone in the priority groups to have the vaccine,” says Liam Donaldson, the UK’s Chief Medical Officer (press release).
France has also started vaccinating this week, and Germany will begin 26 October, followed by Ireland on 2 November (Independent, Bloomberg).
Last week the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that vaccine production was not going as well as might be hoped. Anne Schuchat told reporters some manufacturers were having difficulties and production was “a bit delayed”.
“We wish that we had more vaccine and there is more vaccine coming out every day,” she said. (See: Swine flu shot shortfall.)
Australia became the first country to begin mass vaccination against H1N1 when it rolled out its programme on 30 September (see: Sky, Brisbane Times).
