There is a lot of confusion over this year's influenza vaccination program.
We have just received our guidance for this year's vaccinations.
1. We are going to vaccinate over 65s as usual with the season flu vaccine. We will be arranging days to hold vaccination walk in clinics once we receive our supplies.
2. We are going to vaccinate all age groups for H1N1 in November when supplies become available.
3. We are going to vaccinate other at risk groups (children and those with chronic diseases under the age of 65) after the H1N1 vaccinations are completed.
Bear in mind that:
- the last time we had an H1N1 pandemic was 1956, so people over the age of 65 are at high risk from seasonal flu and lower risk from H1N1 as they will likely have had previous exposure when they were younger.
- children and younger adults are at higher risk of H1N1 as they will not have encountered it before, but are at lower risk from seasonal flu.
- there are unconfirmed reports that people who have had seasonal flu vaccination are at higher risk of becoming ill from H1N1.
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