Who is a priority for vaccination with the H1N1 swine flu vaccine?

People who are most at risk from swine flu need to be vaccinated first. These groups are, in order of priority:
- People aged between six months and 65 years in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups.
- All pregnant women, subject to licensing. The European Medicines Agency, who license the vaccine, will indicate whether it can be given to all pregnant women or whether it should only be offered at certain stages of pregnancy.
- People who live with those whose immune systems are compromised, such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS.
- People aged 65 and over in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups.

Frontline health and social care workers will also be offered the vaccine at the same time as the first clinical at-risk groups. Health and social care workers are both at an increased risk of catching swine flu and of spreading it to other at-risk patients.

What are the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups?

These are people with:
- chronic respiratory disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
- chronic kidney disease, such as kidney failure
- chronic liver disease, such as chronic hepatitis
- chronic neurological disease, such as Parkinson’s disease
- diabetes requiring insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs, and
- immunosuppression (a suppressed immune system), due to disease or treatment.

Why are healthy people over 65 and children not a priority for the swine flu vaccine?

Healthy people aged over 65 appear to have some natural immunity to the swine flu virus. And while children are disproportionately affected by swine flu, the vast majority make a full recovery – therefore the experts do not advise that children (other than those in at-risk groups) should be vaccinated initially.

Who is at greatest risk of serious complications from swine flu?

Some people are more at risk of complications if they catch swine flu, and need to start taking medical treatment. Doctors may advise some high-risk patients to take antivirals before they have symptoms, if someone close to them has swine flu.
It is already known that people are particularly vulnerable if they have:
- chronic (long-term) lung disease
- chronic heart disease
- chronic kidney disease
- chronic liver disease
- chronic neurological disease (neurological disorders include motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease)
- immunosuppression (whether caused by disease or treatment), or
- diabetes mellitus.

Also at risk are:
- patients who have had drug treatment for asthma in the past three years
- pregnant women
- people aged 65 and over, and
- children under five.

Patients with swine flu typically have a fever or a high temperature (over 38°C / 100.4°F) and two or more of the following symptoms:
- unusual tiredness
- headache
- runny nose
- sore throat
- shortness of breath or cough
- loss of appetite
- aching muscles
- diarrhea or vomiting

Pregnant women are one of the higher risk groups for swine flu, as they are for all influenza viruses. It is therefore important for them to take precautions.

Detail advice for pregnant women to take precaution to H1N1 swine flu, can see here