The first phase of the HSE Swine Flu Vaccination Campaign was launched on Mondy this week for Longford/ Westmeath. GP practices throughout the counties, with three additional HSE clinics operating in Athlone, Mullingar, and Longford will offer the vaccine to at-risk groups over the next two weeks.
The HSE vaccination clinic in Mullingar reported a steady flow of people presenting at the clinic, indicating a good uptake for the area. By lunchtime on Wednesday, 700 people had been vaccinated in clinics throughout the HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster region.
The advice for people in the at-risk group remains, and they should contact their GP to make an appointment to receive a swine flu vaccine. GPs are the best place for this at-risk group to get their vaccine and both the visit to the GP and the vaccine are free of charge for everyone. The vaccine is the best defence we have against the pandemic (H1N1 ) 2009 virus. Over the coming months, everyone in Ireland will be offered the vaccine.
Over 2,300 participating GPs have been receiving the vaccine over the last number of weeks and will continue to receive the vaccine on an ongoing basis. If your GP is not participating in the vaccine campaign you can be vaccinated at a HSE vaccination clinic, free of charge to those in the at-risk groups. Details of vaccination clinic locations are now available from your GP, or from the HSE website www.hse.ie and www.swineflu.ie, or from the HSE flu line on 1800 94 11 00.
You can now book an appointment at one of the HSE’s clinics on www.swineflu.ie or through the HSE information line on 1850 24 1850. Those in the at-risk groups will also be accommodated on a walk-in basis, although the HSE is advising pre-booking an appointment where possible.
Provision is also being made for some people in the at-risk groups to avail of the vaccine in other settings. Some hospitals and health facilities have also been receiving vaccines this week to ensure they can vaccinate their at-risk patients.
The HSE also unveiled public information material today including information leaflets for those who are now being offered a vaccine. Leaflets for people with long-term illness and leaflets for pregnant women are now available at www.hse.ie and www.swineflu.ie or from your GP, pharmacy, hospital or local health office next week.
Information packs including clinical guidance and information for patients have also been issued to GPs over the last week.
Both vaccines available in Ireland, Pandemrix and Celvapan, have been licensed by the European Medicine Agency and the Irish Medicines Board and are being used in many European countries over the coming weeks and months.
As with any vaccines, risks have to be balanced with the benefits, and the authorities in Ireland are satisfied the benefits from the vaccine outweigh any possible risks of side effects. Ireland continues to see an increase, week on week, in the number of cases being admitted to hospitals and intensive care units and we continue to see fatalities associated with the virus. Vaccination is the most important tool we have to protect the Irish population.
Remember, you can get information about the swine flu vaccine as follows:
From your GP;
From www.swineflu.ie or www.hse.ie; From the automated HSE flu line 1800 94 11 00;
From the HSE infoline 1850 24 1850.
