One dose of swine flu vaccine is enough, say experts

Published on Friday 30 October 2009 21:21

THE United Nations health agency has issued reassurance that swine flu vaccines are safe and only one dose is needed to protect adults and children over ten against the H1N1 strain.

The announcement yesterday by the World Health Organisation follows debate among health experts over how many doses of a vaccine are needed to protect against the H1N1 pandemic strain of swine flu.

With governments under pressure to carry out vaccinations before the ordinary winter flu season starts, the number of doses authorities recommend will play a decisive role in determining how far available vaccine stocks will stretch.

Swine flu has killed at least 5,700 people worldwide since the H1N1 strain appeared in April, according to the WHO. Some 26 people have died from swine flu in Scotland, 97 in England, eight in Northern Ireland and seven in Wales.

The number of new cases in Scotland went up by more than 5,000 to nearly 20,000 last week, while in England they increased from 53,000 to 78,000.

This week saw the start of the UK-wide immunisation programme with seriously ill and health staff caring for them being the first of 14 million people in the "priority group" to be given the jab.

The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation has recommended that a single dose of H1N1 vaccine should be used for adults and the over-tens. It said more studies were needed on the effectiveness of vaccines in children aged up to ten years.

The recommendation corresponds to WHO's estimate earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Sir Liam Donaldson, the chief medical officer for England and Wales, has criticised attempts to undermine the swine flu jab after a hospital in Birmingham was flyposted with anti-vaccination messages as it began its immunisation campaign.