Varied uptake as vaccine scheme starts

[Posted: Mon 02/11/2009 by Niall Hunter, Editor]

Activity at special HSE vaccine clinics has been varied during the first official day of the swine flu vaccination programme, according to the HSE.

At a press briefing today, the HSE's Dr Pat Doorley said some clinics have been busier than others, and by late afternoon, just under 1,600 people around the country had attended HSE clinics for vaccination.

Figures are not yet available on the numbers vaccinated to date in GP surgeries.

The vaccine scheme started to day among first priority group - people aged over six months and under 65 years with chronic illnesses, pregnant women over 14 weeks and those who are severely obese.

Dr Doorley said the HSE was appealing to people not in these at-risk groups to be patient and wait their turn for vaccination, as the vaccine needs to be administered on a priority basis in accordance with availability of supplies.

The health authorities say they are it is taking it on trust that those turning up for its clinics are in the first designated at-risk groups, and people presenting at HSE clinics are not having their health status checked.

Dr Doorley stressed, however, that people in the initial at-risk groups should present themselves for vaccination.

People who are in the initial at risk groups are asked to contact their GPs or to book vaccination at a HSE clinic - clinic details are available at www.swineflu.ie

Some GPs had already started vaccinations in their surgeries since last week and some are waiting until they have sufficient doses to start clinics in their surgery. The press briefing was told says some GPs may wait until tomorrow or Wednesday to start vaccine sessions.

A total 240,000 doses have to date gone out to GPs and 100,000 to HSE clinics. GPs are delivered the vaccine on a fortnightly basis.

The HSE has admitted that some GPs had not as yet received vaccine supplies, but these glitches in the distribution process were being dealt with. Extra vaccine supplies can be delivered to GPs if necessary to meet demand.

Dr Brenda Corcoran of the HSE said a total of 400,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine are will be sent out to GPs within the next four weeks, with 100,000 doses to clinics, under the initial stage of the vaccine programme.

One version of the vaccine, Pandemrix, is being used in GP surgeries, while the other vaccine, Celvapan, is being used in the HSE clinics.

Pandemrix is being supplied to GPs as it is regarded as more appropriate for administration purposes, as GPs have a 24-hour time limit for using it once it is out of the fridge, whereas there is ony a three-hour time limit with the other vaccine.

Dr Joan Gilvarry of the Irish Medicines Board told the press briefing that to date in Ireland, there had been six adverse reactions to the vaccines reported, all of which were local skin reactions and feverishness.

She said generalised symptoms such as aches and fever which can occur after getting the vaccine usually passed after two days, but the vaccine does not give people the flu. 

Dr Gilvarry said both versions of the vaccine now available are regarded as effective and safe for use in pregnant women.

Asked when other at-risk groups and the rest of the population would be vaccinated, Dr Corcoran said they would have to see initially what the uptake was like in the first at-risk groups.

Following this, the vaccination programme would move to healthcare workers and young children. It has been reported that it could be two months before the general population receives the vaccine.

Dr Doorley said if uptake among the the first vaccine cohort was less than expected, some of the initial supply may be diverted to healthcare workers and children. GPs and healthcare workers currently administering the vaccine can get vaccinated themselves if there is vaccine left over after immunisation sessions.

He said while GPs are being asked to do their best to try to identify initial at-risk patients in their practices,the onus is on people in the first at-risk groups to present themselves for vaccination.

The HSE said since the swine flu outbreak started in April, to date one Irish patient in need of specialised critical care had been sent to Sweden for ECMO treatment, while another patient had received this treatment in Ireland.

The HSE's automated swine flu information number is 1800 94 1100; while the HSE's information helpline is 1850 24 1850